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domesticate

duh-MES-tih-keyt /dəˈmestɪkeɪt/

verbB2SATACTIELTSTOEFL

academicgeneral

To tame an animal, especially by breeding it over generations, to live in close association with humans as a pet or work animal.

Unlike simply taming an individual wild animal, domesticating involves changing the genetic lineage of an entire species over generations to make them naturally cooperative with humans.

The story behind the word. The word traces back to the Latin 'domus', meaning house or home. When we domesticate an animal, we literally bring it 'into the home,' transforming it from a creature of the wild forest into a member of the household.

Word relationships

tame: 'Tame' refers to making an individual wild animal docile, whereas 'domesticate' refers to a multi-generational genetic process for an entire species.
break: 'Break' is typically used for horses and implies forcing an animal into submission, whereas 'domesticate' is a broader evolutionary and social process.

feralize: To return a domesticated species to a wild state.
wild: Living in a natural state without human intervention or selective breeding.

Commonly confused with

tame: A tiger in a zoo can be tamed to tolerate humans, but the tiger species is not domesticated.

Word family

domestication (noun): The process of taming and breeding wild species for human use.
domestic (adjective): Relating to the running of a home or to animals kept by humans.
domesticated (adjective): Adapted over time to live in close association with and to the benefit of humans.

Collocations

domesticate animals
domesticate crops
fully domesticated

Example sentences

"Early humans began to domesticate wolves thousands of years ago, eventually leading to the diverse dog breeds we see today." A discussion on early human history and the transition to agriculture.
"It is difficult to domesticate certain species, such as zebras, due to their aggressive nature and unpredictable behavior." A scientific paper on agricultural history.

Memory hook

Think of 'domestic' chores done at home. To domesticate an animal is to bring it home to live with you. Domesticate brings the wild into the 'domus' (home).

When not to use

Do not use to describe training a wild animal for a single circus performance; that is merely 'taming' or 'training'.

Fun facts

The dog was the very first animal to be domesticated, predating agriculture and the domestication of livestock like sheep and goats.