reproduction

noun

re·​pro·​duc·​tion ˌrē-prə-ˈdək-shən How to pronounce reproduction (audio)
1
: the act or process of reproducing
specifically : the process by which plants and animals give rise to offspring and which fundamentally consists of the segregation of a portion of the parental body by a sexual or an asexual process and its subsequent growth and differentiation into a new individual
2
: something reproduced : copy
3
: young seedling trees in a forest
Choose the Right Synonym for reproduction

reproduction, duplicate, copy, facsimile, replica mean a thing made to closely resemble another.

reproduction implies an exact or close imitation of an existing thing.

reproductions from the museum's furniture collection

duplicate implies a double or counterpart exactly corresponding to another thing.

a duplicate of a house key

copy applies especially to one of a number of things reproduced mechanically.

printed 1000 copies of the lithograph

facsimile suggests a close reproduction often of graphic matter that may differ in scale.

a facsimile of a rare book

replica implies the exact reproduction of a particular item in all details

a replica of the Mayflower

but not always in the same scale.

miniature replicas of classic cars

Examples of reproduction in a Sentence

the mass reproduction of fine art a reproduction of the painting
Recent Examples on the Web Legally, writers and filmmakers can’t use any reproductions of the artist’s work without permission from her estate. Kate Dwyer, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024 Lending pandas to zoos across the U.S. and other countries also encourages reproduction and helps save the giant pandas from extinction. Jennifer Borresen, USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2024 Old World Weavers specialized in making exact reproductions of fabrics from the 17th century onward. Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2024 The poster, a large reproduction of the album cover, was stunning. Hanif Abdurraqib, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2024 In the years that followed, China continued lending the animals to U.S. zoos to help encourage reproduction and save giant pandas from extinction. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Feb. 2024 The company specializes in military reproductions and had previously outfitted such films as Captain America and Empire of the Sun. Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 21 Feb. 2024 Today, reproductions of this green hue are longer lasting. Zoe Gowen, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2024 This reproduction strategy was unlike that exhibited by the majority of sea spiders. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reproduction.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1640, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reproduction was circa 1640

Dictionary Entries Near reproduction

Cite this Entry

“Reproduction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reproduction. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

reproduction

noun
re·​pro·​duc·​tion ˌrē-prə-ˈdək-shən How to pronounce reproduction (audio)
1
: the act or process of reproducing
especially : the process by which plants and animals produce offspring
2
: something reproduced : copy

Medical Definition

reproduction

noun
re·​pro·​duc·​tion ˌrē-prə-ˈdək-shən How to pronounce reproduction (audio)
: the act or process of reproducing
specifically : the process by which plants and animals give rise to offspring and which fundamentally consists of the segregation of a portion of the parental body by a sexual or an asexual process and its subsequent growth and differentiation into a new individual

More from Merriam-Webster on reproduction

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