Race vs. Breed — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 21, 2024
Race in humans refers to the classification based on physical and genetic traits, often associated with geographical regions, whereas breed pertains to specific genetic lineages within domesticated animal species, highlighting distinct characteristics.
Difference Between Race and Breed
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Race, when applied to humans, denotes groups classified by shared physical characteristics, genetic ancestry, and socio-cultural factors. This concept is widely debated and considered more of a social construct than a scientifically precise categorization, as genetic differences within human populations are minimal. Races are often identified by traits like skin color, facial features, and hair type, which have been influenced by historical, geographical, and environmental factors. On the other hand, a breed refers to a specific group of domestic animals with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals of the same species. Breeding is a deliberate process of selective breeding controlled by humans to accentuate desirable traits within a domestic animal species.
While the concept of race in humans has been subject to criticism for its lack of biological basis and its historical use to justify discriminatory practices, the classification of animals into breeds is a well-established practice in agriculture, animal science, and pet keeping. Breeds are often created to enhance certain features beneficial for specific purposes, such as work, companionship, or show. Conversely, the classification of humans into races does not have the same purpose or scientific underpinning and tends to reflect broader socio-historical constructs rather than strict genetic or biological criteria.
Breeds within a species, such as dogs, cats, or horses, are defined by strict guidelines and recognized by official bodies that maintain breed standards, including physical characteristics, temperament, and other attributes. These standards ensure the breed's integrity and distinguishability. In contrast, racial classifications in humans are not scientifically managed or regulated but are instead influenced by societal perceptions and historical contexts.
The importance of understanding the distinction between race and breed lies in recognizing the biological versus the socio-cultural basis of classification. In animals, breeds have been developed through careful selection and breeding practices to achieve specific, desired outcomes. In humans, the concept of race is entangled with complex historical, social, and political implications, often leading to generalizations and stereotypes without a clear biological foundation.
Choosing to categorize humans by race or animals by breed carries different implications and purposes. For animals, breed distinctions are crucial for various practical purposes, including conservation, breeding strategies, and understanding specific health or behavioral characteristics. For humans, however, the use of racial categories has been a source of division and inequality, highlighting the need for careful consideration and sensitivity towards the implications of racial classification.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Classification based on physical and genetic traits, often associated with geographical regions.
Specific genetic lineages within domesticated species, highlighting distinct characteristics.
Basis
Socio-cultural factors, physical characteristics.
Genetic selection and breeding for specific traits.
Purpose
Historically used for societal classification, often criticized for lack of biological basis.
Enhance certain features for specific purposes like work, companionship, or show.
Classification
Largely social construct with minimal biological basis.
Scientifically managed, with specific standards and guidelines.
Recognition
Not scientifically managed or regulated.
Recognized by official bodies with maintained breed standards.
Implications
Entangled with complex historical, social, and political implications.
Practical purposes including conservation, breeding strategies, and understanding specific characteristics.
Compare with Definitions
Race
A socio-cultural construct more than a clear-cut biological differentiation.
Race is often debated in the context of social inequality and diversity.
Breed
A specific group of domestic animals with distinct, inherited characteristics.
The Labrador Retriever is a breed known for its friendly nature.
Race
A classification of humans based on shared physical and genetic characteristics.
The concept of race has been used to categorize people into groups such as Caucasian, African, or Asian.
Breed
Animals of the same species selectively bred by humans.
Different breeds of cats are often bred for their unique appearance or temperament.
Race
Grouping humans often associated with historical and geographical factors.
People from the same race may share certain genetic predispositions.
Breed
Characterized by homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other traits.
Sheep breeds are often selected for wool quality and quantity.
Race
A concept with minimal biological foundation but significant social implications.
Policies addressing racial discrimination aim to combat societal biases.
Breed
Defined by official standards and recognized by specific organizations.
Breed standards for show dogs detail desirable physical traits.
Race
Classification influenced by societal perceptions and stereotypes.
Racial profiling is a controversial issue in many societies.
Breed
Focus on enhancing features for specific purposes through breeding.
Horse breeds are developed for various activities like racing or work.
Race
A competition between runners, horses, vehicles, etc. to see which is the fastest in covering a set course
Hill started from pole position and won the race
Breed
A breed is a specific group of domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist several slightly deviating definitions.
Race
A strong or rapid current flowing through a narrow channel in the sea or a river
Angling for tuna in turbulent tidal races
Breed
To produce (offspring); give birth to or hatch.
Race
A water channel, especially one built to lead water to or from a point where its energy is utilized, as in a mill or mine.
Breed
To bring about; engender
"Admission of guilt tends to breed public sympathy" (Jonathan Alter).
Race
A smooth ring-shaped groove or guide in which a ball bearing or roller bearing runs.
Breed
To cause to reproduce, especially by controlled mating and selection
Breed cattle.
Race
A fenced passageway in a stockyard through which animals pass singly for branding, loading, washing, etc.
Breed
To develop new or improved strains in (organisms), chiefly through controlled mating and selection of offspring for desirable traits.
Race
(in weaving) the channel along which the shuttle moves.
Breed
To inseminate or impregnate; mate with.
Race
Each of the major divisions of humankind, having distinct physical characteristics
People of all races, colours, and creeds
Breed
To rear or train; bring up
A writer who was bred in a seafaring culture.
Race
A ginger root.
Breed
To be the place of origin of
Austria breeds great skiers.
Race
Move or progress swiftly or at full speed
I raced into the house
She spoke automatically, while her mind raced ahead
Breed
To produce (fissionable material) in a breeder reactor.
Race
A group of people identified as distinct from other groups because of supposed physical or genetic traits shared by the group. Most biologists and anthropologists do not recognize race as a biologically valid classification, in part because there is more genetic variation within groups than between them.
Breed
To produce offspring.
Race
A group of people united or classified together on the basis of common history, nationality, or geographic distribution
The Celtic race.
Breed
To copulate; mate.
Race
A genealogical line; a lineage.
Breed
To originate and develop
Mischief breeds in bored minds.
Race
Humans considered as a group.
Breed
A group of organisms having common ancestors and certain distinguishable characteristics, especially a group within a species developed by artificial selection and maintained by controlled propagation.
Race
A usually geographically isolated population of organisms that differs from other populations of the same species in certain heritable traits
An island race of birds.
Breed
A kind; a sort
A new breed of politician.
A new breed of computer.
Race
A breed or strain, as of domestic animals.
Breed
(Offensive) A person of mixed racial descent; a half-breed.
Race
A distinguishing or characteristic quality, such as the flavor of a wine.
Breed
(transitive) To give birth to; to be the native place of.
A pond breeds fish; a northern country breeds stout men
Race
A competition of speed, as in running or riding.
Breed
Of animals, to mate.
Race
Races A series of such competitions held at a specified time on a regular course
A fan of the dog races.
Breed
To keep animals and have them reproduce in a way that improves the next generation’s qualities.
Race
An extended competition in which participants struggle like runners to be the winner
The presidential race.
Breed
To arrange the mating of specific animals.
She wanted to breed her cow to the neighbor's registered bull.
Race
Steady or rapid onward movement
The race of time.
Breed
To propagate or grow plants trying to give them certain qualities.
He tries to breed blue roses.
Race
A strong or swift current of water.
Breed
To take care of in infancy and through childhood; to bring up.
Race
The channel of such a current.
Breed
To yield or result in.
Disaster breeds famine;
Familiarity breeds contempt
Race
An artificial channel built to transport water and use its energy. Also called raceway.
Breed
To be formed in the parent or dam; to be generated, or to grow, like young before birth.
Race
A groovelike part of a machine in which a moving part slides or rolls.
Breed
(sometimes as breed up) To educate; to instruct; to bring up
Race
See slipstream.
Breed
To produce or obtain by any natural process.
Race
Of or relating to race; racial
Race relations.
Race quotas.
Breed
(intransitive) To have birth; to be produced, developed or multiplied.
Race
Of or relating to forms of popular entertainment made by and largely marketed to African Americans in the early 1900s
Race literature.
Race records.
Breed
(transitive) to ejaculate inside someone's anus
Race
(Sports) To compete in a contest of speed.
Breed
All animals or plants of the same species or subspecies.
A breed of tulip
A breed of animal
Race
To move rapidly or at top speed
We raced home. My heart was racing with fear.
Breed
A race or lineage; offspring or issue.
Race
To run too rapidly due to decreased resistance or unnecessary provision of fuel
Adjusted the idle to keep the engine from racing.
Breed
(informal) A group of people with shared characteristics.
People who were taught classical Greek and Latin at school are a dying breed.
Race
To compete against in a race.
Breed
To produce as offspring; to bring forth; to bear; to procreate; to generate; to beget; to hatch.
Yet every mother breeds not sons alike.
If the sun breed maggots in a dead dog.
Race
To cause to compete in a race
She races horses for a living.
Breed
To take care of in infancy, and through the age of youth; to bring up; to nurse and foster.
To bring thee forth with pain, with care to breed.
Born and bred on the verge of the wilderness.
Race
To transport rapidly or at top speed; rush
Raced the injured motorist to the hospital.
Breed
To educate; to instruct; to form by education; to train; - sometimes followed by up.
But no care was taken to breed him a Protestant.
His farm may not remove his children too far from him, or the trade he breeds them up in.
Race
To cause (an engine with the gears disengaged, for example) to run swiftly or too swiftly.
Breed
To engender; to cause; to occasion; to originate; to produce; as, to breed a storm; to breed disease.
Lest the placeAnd my quaint habits breed astonishment.
Race
A contest between people, animals, vehicles, etc. where the goal is to be the first to reach some objective. Example: Several horses run in a horse race, and the first one to reach the finishing post wins
The race around the park was won by Johnny, who ran faster than the others.
We had a race to see who could finish the book the quickest.
Breed
To give birth to; to be the native place of; as, a pond breeds fish; a northern country breeds stout men.
Race
Swift progress; rapid motion; an instance of moving or driving at high speed.
Breed
To raise, as any kind of stock.
Race
(computing) A race condition.
Breed
To produce or obtain by any natural process.
Children would breed their teeth with less danger.
Race
A progressive movement toward a goal.
The race to cure cancer
Breed
To bear and nourish young; to reproduce or multiply itself; to be pregnant.
That they breed abundantly in the earth.
The mother had never bred before.
Ant. Is your gold and silver ewes and rams?Shy. I can not tell. I make it breed as fast.
Race
A fast-moving current of water, such as that which powers a mill wheel.
Breed
To be formed in the parent or dam; to be generated, or to grow, as young before birth.
Race
A water channel, esp. one built to lead water to or from a point where it is utilised.
Breed
To have birth; to be produced or multiplied.
Heavens rain graceOn that which breeds between them.
Race
Competitive action of any kind, especially when prolonged; hence, career; course of life.
Breed
To raise a breed; to get progeny.
The kind of animal which you wish to breed from.
Race
The bushings of a rolling element bearing which contacts the rolling elements.
Breed
A race or variety of men or other animals (or of plants), perpetuating its special or distinctive characteristics by inheritance.
Twice fifteen thousand hearts of England's breed.
Greyhounds of the best breed.
Race
A group of sentient beings, particularly people, distinguished by common ancestry, heritage or characteristics:
Breed
Class; sort; kind; - of men, things, or qualities.
Are these the breed of wits so wondered at?
This courtesy is not of the right breed.
Race
A large group of people distinguished from others on the basis of a common heritage compare ethnic group. See Wikipedia's article on historical definitions of race.
Breed
A number produced at once; a brood.
Race
A large group of people distinguished from others on the basis of common physical characteristics, such as skin color or hair type.
Race was a significant issue during apartheid in South Africa.
The Native Americans colonized the New World in several waves from Asia, and thus they are considered part of the same Mongoloid race.
Breed
A special lineage;
A breed of Americans
Race
A large group of sentient beings distinguished from others on the basis of a common heritage compare species, subspecies.
A treaty was concluded between the race of elves and the race of men.
Breed
A special variety of domesticated animals within a species;
He experimented on a particular breed of white rats
He created a new strain of sheep
Race
A group or category distinguished from others on the basis of shared characteristics or qualities, for example social qualities.
The advent of the Internet has brought about a new race of entrepreneur.
Recent developments in artificial intelligence have brought about a new race of robots that can perform household chores without supervision.
Breed
Half-caste offspring of parents of different races (especially of white and Indian parents)
Race
(biology) A population geographically separated from others of its species that develops significantly different characteristics; a mating group.
Breed
A lineage or race of people
Race
(zoology) Subspecies.
Breed
Call forth
Race
(animal husbandry) A breed or strain of domesticated animal.
Breed
Copulate with a female, used especially of horses;
The horse covers the mare
Race
An infraspecific rank, a pathotype, pathovar, etc.
Breed
Of plants or animals;
She breeds dogs
Race
(obsolete) Peculiar flavour, taste, or strength, as of wine; that quality, or assemblage of qualities, which indicates origin or kind, as in wine; hence, characteristic flavour.
Breed
Have young (animals);
Pandas rarely breed in captivity
Race
(obsolete) Characteristic quality or disposition.
Race
Ancestry.
Race
A rhizome or root, especially of ginger.
Race
(intransitive) To take part in a race (in the sense of a contest).
The drivers were racing around the track.
Race
(transitive) To compete against in a race (contest).
I raced him to the car, but he was there first, so he got to ride shotgun.
Race
(intransitive) To move or drive at high speed; to hurry or speed.
As soon as it was time to go home, he raced for the door.
Her heart was racing as she peered into the dimly lit room.
Race
To run rapidly when not engaged to a transmission.
Race
To assign a race to; to perceive as having a (usually specified) race.
Race
To raze.
Race
To run swiftly; to contend in a race; as, the animals raced over the ground; the ships raced from port to port.
Race
To run too fast at times, as a marine engine or screw, when the screw is lifted out of water by the action of a heavy sea.
Race
To cause to contend in a race; to drive at high speed; as, to race horses.
Race
To run a race with.
Race
A root.
Race
The descendants of a common ancestor; a family, tribe, people, or nation, believed or presumed to belong to the same stock; a lineage; a breed.
The whole race of mankind.
Whence the long race of Alban fathers come.
Race
Company; herd; breed.
For do but note a wild and wanton herd,Or race of youthful and unhandled colts,Fetching mad bounds.
Race
A variety of such fixed character that it may be propagated by seed.
Race
Peculiar flavor, taste, or strength, as of wine; that quality, or assemblage of qualities, which indicates origin or kind, as in wine; hence, characteristic flavor; smack.
Is it [the wine] of the right race ?
Race
Hence, characteristic quality or disposition.
And now I give my sensual race the rein.
Some . . . great race of fancy or judgment.
Race
A progress; a course; a movement or progression.
Race
Esp., swift progress; rapid course; a running.
The flight of many birds is swifter than the race of any beasts.
Race
Hence: The act or process of running in competition; a contest of speed in any way, as in running, riding, driving, skating, rowing, sailing; in the plural, usually, a meeting for contests in the running of horses; as, he attended the races.
The race is not to the swift.
I wield the gauntlet, and I run the race.
Race
Competitive action of any kind, especially when prolonged; hence, career; course of life.
My race of glory run, and race of shame.
Race
A strong or rapid current of water, or the channel or passage for such a current; a powerful current or heavy sea, sometimes produced by the meeting of two tides; as, the Portland Race; the Race of Alderney.
Race
The current of water that turns a water wheel, or the channel in which it flows; a mill race.
Race
A channel or guide along which a shuttle is driven back and forth, as in a loom, sewing machine, etc.
Race
Any competition;
The race for the presidency
Race
People who are believed to belong to the same genetic stock;
Some biologists doubt that there are important genetic differences between races of human beings
Race
A contest of speed;
The race is to the swift
Race
The flow of air that is driven backwards by an aircraft propeller
Race
(biology) a taxonomic group that is a division of a species; usually arises as a consequence of geographical isolation within a species
Race
A canal for a current of water
Race
Step on it;
He rushed down the hall to receive his guests
The cars raced down the street
Race
Compete in a race;
He is running the Marathon this year
Let's race and see who gets there first
Race
To work as fast as possible towards a goal, sometimes in competition with others;
We are racing to find a cure for AIDS
Race
Cause to move fast or to rush or race;
The psychologist raced the rats through a long maze
Common Curiosities
What purpose does breeding serve in animals?
Breeding in animals serves to enhance specific characteristics, such as appearance, behavior, or performance, for various purposes like work, companionship, or show.
Are all members of a human race genetically similar?
Members of a human race may share certain genetic traits, but the genetic diversity within any so-called race is often greater than the differences between races, highlighting the concept's limited biological basis.
Can breeds exist within human populations?
No, the concept of breeds does not apply to humans due to the ethical, biological, and social complexities involved. Breeding practices are specific to domesticated animals.
Why is the concept of race controversial?
The concept of race is controversial due to its historical use to justify discrimination and its lack of a solid biological foundation, leading to debates over its validity and implications.
How are animal breeds created and maintained?
Animal breeds are created and maintained through selective breeding practices controlled by humans, aiming to emphasize desirable traits, with standards often set and recognized by official organizations.
What defines a race in humans?
Race in humans is defined by shared physical characteristics, genetic ancestry, and socio-cultural factors, though it is largely seen as a social construct.
How is a breed different from a race?
A breed is a specific group of domestic animals with distinct characteristics developed through selective breeding, while race refers to human classification based on physical and socio-cultural traits, lacking a precise biological basis.
Is it accurate to use race to predict behavior or abilities in humans?
No, it is not accurate to use race to predict behavior or abilities in humans. Such assumptions can lead to stereotyping and discrimination. Individual abilities and behaviors are influenced by a complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and social factors, rather than being determined by race.
What role does genetics play in defining breeds in animals?
Genetics plays a crucial role in defining breeds in animals. Selective breeding practices focus on passing down specific genetic traits that determine a breed’s distinct physical and behavioral characteristics, ensuring that these traits are consistently reproduced across generations within the breed.
How do social scientists view the concept of race today?
Social scientists view the concept of race as a social construct rather than a scientifically precise categorization. They emphasize its role in shaping social identities, power dynamics, and systemic inequalities, rather than any inherent biological distinctions.
Can the concept of race be applied to animals in the same way it is to humans?
The concept of race as applied to humans, based on physical characteristics and socio-cultural constructs, does not directly translate to animals. In animals, classifications are more accurately described in terms of species, breeds, or populations based on clear genetic lineage and selective breeding practices, rather than the socio-cultural factors that define human races.
What are the implications of misusing the concepts of race and breed?
Misusing the concepts of race and breed can lead to harmful stereotypes, discrimination, and a misunderstanding of genetic diversity and the importance of cultural and biological conservation.
How have perceptions of race and breed evolved over time?
Perceptions of race have evolved from being viewed as biologically fixed and hierarchical to being understood as a social construct with no scientific basis for superiority or inferiority claims. Meanwhile, the concept of breed, especially in domestic animals, has become more refined with advances in genetics, leading to more precise breeding practices aimed at enhancing specific traits. Both concepts reflect changing societal understandings of diversity, classification, and the nature of human and animal variation.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
