sire  (s īr)
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n. 1. A biological father. 2. a. The male parent of an animal, especially a domesticated mammal. b. The plant or gamete responsible for fertilizing an ovule that develops into a seed. 3. Archaic A male ancestor; a forefather. 4. Archaic A gentleman of rank. 5. Archaic Used as a form of address for a superior, especially a king. tr.v. sired, sir·ing, sires 1. To be the biological father of (a child). 2. To be the male individual or gamete producing (an animal's offspring or a plant's seed) through sexual reproduction: the boar that sired the litter; pollen grains siring seeds.
[Middle English, from Old French, master, lord, from Vulgar Latin *seior, alteration (influenced by Latin māior, greater, comparative of magnus, great) of Latin senior, older; see sen- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots, comparative of senex, old; see sen- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices
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