varieties or types of animals within a species
from Old English brēdan 'to nourish, bring up'
Breeds are different types - like how bread comes in different types too!
Historically applied to both animals and colonized peoples as a pseudo-scientific term for classification and control. When used of human groups, it carries eugenicist and racist baggage from 19th-century pseudoscience.
Use 'breeds' freely for animals. For human description, avoid entirely—use 'cultures,' 'communities,' 'backgrounds,' or 'identities' instead.
["varieties","types","lines","cultures","communities"]
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