reproduction

/ˌriːprəˈdʌkʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌriːprəˈdʌkʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌrē-prə-ˈdək-shən/ (ame, mw)

reproduction — noun

  • reproductionsingular
  • reproductionsplural

1. The natural biological process by which living organisms create new individuals

1.名詞B2
釋義

The natural biological process by which living organisms create new individuals of their own kind, enabling a species to continue across generations.

例句

The biology textbook explained reproduction in flowering plants, from pollination to seed formation.

uncountable noun in scientific context

Sea turtles return to the same beach for reproduction, laying eggs in the warm sand.

同義詞
  • breeding

    More common for selected animals under human care; narrower than reproduction

  • procreation

    Formal register, used almost exclusively for humans

  • propagation

    Preferred for plants and ideas; technical in botany

反義詞
  • extinction

    The opposite outcome when reproduction fails to sustain a population

文法句型

reproduction + of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Typically uncountable in scientific writing. The verb reproduce is more common in everyday conversation. Use modifiers like sexual, asexual, or vegetative to specify the type of reproduction.

常見錯誤

❌The dog's reproduction was very fast' (meaning the dog ran quickly).
✅The dog's reproductive cycle is very fast.
💡reproduction refers to the offspring process, not physical speed or movement.
❌Human reproduction happens when you reproduce a document' (mixing senses).
✅Human reproduction involves the fusion of an egg and a sperm.
💡keep the biological sense separate from the copying sense.

2. An object made to closely resemble an original work of art, document, or design,

2.名詞B2
釋義

An object made to closely resemble an original work of art, document, or design, or the act of producing such a duplicate.

例句

A reproduction of Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' hung above the sofa in the living room.

countable: a reproduction of [artwork]

The museum gift shop sold affordable reproductions of ancient pottery found in the region.

同義詞
  • replica

    Suggests a more exact, often three-dimensional copy, especially of an object or building

  • facsimile

    Formal term for an exact copy, especially of a document or manuscript

  • print

    Specifically a copy of an artwork produced by printing, not necessarily a one-to-one reproduction

反義詞
  • original

    The first authentic version from which reproductions are made

文法句型

reproduction + of + noun phrase

a reproduction + of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Use a reproduction when referring to a single copy. When discussing the activity or technology, reproduction is uncountable. In art contexts, reproduction implies a faithful copy but not necessarily an identical duplicate — a distinction from a forgery, which intends to deceive.

常見錯誤

❌I bought a reproduction of the novel from the bookstore' (meaning a regular printed copy).
✅I bought a reproduction of the artist's original 1920s poster.
💡reproduction implies a copy of an original work of art or design, not a standard published book.
❌That painting is a reproduction — it is worth millions' (using reproduction to mean original).
✅That painting is an original; this one is a reproduction.
💡reproductions are generally far less valuable than originals.