ENGLISH
REFERENCE

procreation

n. uncountable
C1 Advanced US //ˈpɹoʊkɹiˈeɪʃən// UK //pɹˌɒkɹiːˈeɪʃən// pro·cre·ation

n. the process of having babies or producing young. It is the biological way that living things continue their species.

n. the act or process of producing offspring. Often used in biological or demographic contexts to describe the continuation of a species.


SIMPLE

The primary goal of many species is procreation.

CONTEXTUAL

In many animal species, the males perform elaborate displays to attract a mate for the purpose of procreation.

COMPLEX

While modern medicine has significantly reduced infant mortality, the biological drive for procreation remains a fundamental aspect of human and animal behavior across all cultures.

Synonyms
Origin

From Old French procreacion, from Latin prōcreātiō (“generation”), the noun of action from prōcreāre (“to bring forth”), itself from prō- (“forth”) + creāre (“to create”). First attested in c. 1386.

© 2026 English Reference