Brood — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective verb /ˈbrüd/

Meaning & Definition of Brood

Brood (noun)

  1. the young of an animal or a family of young; especially, the young (as of a bird or insect) hatched or cared for at one time
  2. a group having a common nature or origin
  3. the children of a family

Brood (adjective)

  1. kept for breeding

Brood (verb)

  1. to sit on or incubate (eggs)
  2. to produce by or as if by incubation, hatch
  3. to cover (young) with the wings

Brood (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to cover and warm eggs as the young inside develop

    "don't disturb the hen while she's brooding"

    similar: hatch, incubate, set, sit
    related: lay, spawn

Brood (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in litter, hatch

    similar: hatch, litter, young, fruit, get, issue, offspring, posterity, progeny, seed, spawn, child, scion, family, kin, lineage, stock
    opposite: ancestor, antecedent, father, forebear, forebearer, forefather, grandfather, parent, primogenitor, progenitor

  2. as in bevy

    similar: bevy, array, band, bank, batch, battery, block, bunch, clot, clump, cluster, clutch, collection, constellation, group, grouping, huddle, knot, lot, muster, package, parcel, passel, set, suite, colony, gaggle, pack, plump (chiefly dialect), pod, swarm, agglomeration, assortment, hodgepodge, jumble, miscellany, mixture, odds and ends, sundries, variety, drove, flock, accumulation, aggregate, aggregation, assemblage, conglomeration, assembly, collective, congregation, gathering, organization, absorption, blending, coalescence, coalition, commingling, commixture, concretion, homogenization, immingling, immixture, incorporation, integration, interfusion, intermingling, mergence, merger, merging, mingling, hash, hotchpotch, medley, mélange, mishmash, motley, patchwork, potpourri, admixture, alloy, amalgam, amalgamation, cocktail, combination, composite, compound, conflation, emulsion, fusion, intermixture, meld, mix, synthesis
    opposite: component, constituent, element, ingredient, entity, item, single, unit, individual

Related Entry: Brood (about or over) (verb)

Brood (about or over) is a different word from Brood. The synonyms below are for brood (about or over), not for brood.

  1. as in obsess (about or over), fixate (on or upon)

    similar: fixate (on or upon), obsess (about or over), cleave (to), cling (to), hug, stick (to), carry, keep, maintain, preserve, remember, retain, treasure, cultivate, foster, nurture, support, sustain, bear, cherish, entertain, harbor, have, hold, nurse
    opposite: disregard, drop, forget, ignore, neglect, overlook, abjure, decline, deny, disdain, refuse, reject, repudiate, scorn, abandon, desert, discard, forsake, give up, part (with), quit, renounce, throw out, erase, expunge

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Brood

The most common words with a similar meaning to Brood:

Chiefly dialect: plump
hatch, incubate, set, sit, litter, young, fruit, get, issue, offspring, posterity, progeny, seed, spawn, child, scion, family, kin, lineage, stock, bevy, array, band, bank, batch, battery, block, bunch, clot, clump, cluster, clutch, collection, constellation, group, grouping, huddle, knot, lot, muster

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Brood

Words with the opposite meaning of Brood:

ancestor, antecedent, father, forebear, forebearer, forefather, grandfather, parent, primogenitor, progenitor, component, constituent, element, ingredient, entity, item, single, unit, individual

Related Words for Brood

lay

Word Forms of Brood

Inflections: brooded, brooding, broods

Origin & Etymology of Brood

Middle English, from Old English brōd; akin to Middle High German bruot brood and perhaps to Old English beorma yeast barm

First known use: before 12th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Brood

What does "Brood" mean?

"Brood" means the young of an animal or a family of young; especially, the young (as of a bird or insect) hatched or cared for at one time. As an a noun, an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: the young of an animal or a family of young; especially, the young (as of a bird or insect) hatched or cared for at one time. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Brood"?

Other words for "Brood" include hatch, incubate, set, sit, litter, young, fruit and get. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Brood" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Brood"?

There are 113 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Brood". Common alternatives include hatch, incubate, set, sit, litter, young, fruit, get, issue and offspring.

What is the opposite of "Brood"?

Antonyms of "Brood" include ancestor, antecedent, father, forebear, forebearer, forefather, grandfather and parent.

How do you use "Brood" in a sentence?

Examples of "Brood" in a sentence: "don't disturb the hen while she's brooding".

Is "Brood" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Brood" can be used as a noun, an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Brood"?

"Brood" is pronounced /ˈbrüd/.

What is the origin of the word "Brood"?

"Brood" comes from Middle English, from Old English brōd; akin to Middle High German bruot brood and perhaps to Old English beorma yeast barm. First known use: before 12th century.