What does sire mean Meaning and Definition

Pronunciation

/ˈsaɪər/ 🔊

Part of Speech

Noun, Verb

Definition

A male parent, or to father; to be the male parent of an animal, especially a horse.

Examples

• He is the sire of three children.
• The stallion is the sire of many champion racehorses.

Synonyms

• Father
• Dam

Antonyms

• Mother
• Offspring

Additional Information

Sire is a term commonly used in horse breeding to refer to the male parent of a horse. In human contexts, it is less commonly used, but can be used to refer to the male parent of a child.

In modern language, the term sire is often used in a more formal or literary sense, and is not as commonly used in everyday conversation.

The term sire has a rich history, dating back to Old English and Middle English, where it was used to refer to a male ancestor or progenitor.

Etymology

The word sire comes from the Old English word “sir”, meaning “father” or “male ancestor”. It has its roots in Proto-Germanic and Proto-Indo-European, where it was derived from the root “at-” meaning “to father” or “to generate”.

Usage Notes

Sire is often used in formal or literary contexts, and is less commonly used in everyday conversation. It is commonly used in horse breeding and other animal husbandry contexts.

Cultural References

• In literature, the term sire is often used to refer to a king or nobleman, such as in Shakespeare’s “King Lear” or “Hamlet”.
• In popular culture, the term sire is often used in fantasy and science fiction to refer to a powerful or mystical being, such as in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” or George R.R. Martin’s “Game of Thrones”.

Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases

• “Sire a child” (to father a child)
• “Sire a new generation” (to give birth to a new generation)

Related Words or Phrases

• Father
• Parent
• Progenitor

Collocations

• “Sire and dam” (male and female parent)
• “Sire a foal” (to give birth to a young horse)

Frequency of Use

The word sire is not as commonly used in modern language, but it is still used in formal or literary contexts, and in specific industries such as horse breeding.

Common Misspellings

• Sier
• Sir
• Siree