wellbred

Wellbred is an adjective used to describe a person, animal, or thing that exhibits good breeding or ancestry. In reference to humans, it connotes cultivated manners, upbringing, and the social polish associated with a refined background. In animals, particularly dogs, horses, and livestock, wellbred indicates desirable lineage and temperament derived from breeding lines selected for those traits. The term is commonly written as well-bred, though some texts use the closed form wellbred.

The term is formed from well and bred, with bred as the past participle of breed. Its positive sense evolved from associations between pedigree, social status, and training. Historically, wellbred carried connotations of class and propriety; in contemporary usage it is somewhat old-fashioned and formal, with nuance dependent on context and tone. It can be read as complimentary or as class-conscious, depending on how it is applied.

In practice, in animal breeding, wellbred status is a descriptor of lineage and documented ancestry, commonly appearing in breed registries and show rings to signal lines of known temperament and conformation. In human contexts, it is less a formal credential than a stylistic judgment about upbringing and manners, and it does not imply health or moral virtue.

See also: Pedigree, Breeding, Lineage, Etiquette.