broodmare
broodmare Lexical Profile
broodmare Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A mature female horse, donkey, or other equine kept specifically for breeding and producing foals.
"After retiring from a successful racing career, the champion filly became a prized broodmare at a Kentucky stud farm."
(derogatory) A woman regarded as existing primarily to bear children, or one who has had many children.
"The dystopian novel depicts a grim society where women of childbearing age are treated as little more than broodmares for the ruling class."
Word Nuance & Usage
When applied figuratively to a woman, this term is strongly derogatory and offensive, implying that she is valued only for her reproductive capacity.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the early 19th century as a compound of 'brood' (from Old English 'brōd', meaning offspring hatched or born together) and 'mare' (from Old English 'mīere', a female horse).