half-blood

1 of 2

adjective

ˈhaf-ˈbləd 

ˈhäf-

variants or less commonly half-blooded

ˈhaf-ˈblə-dəd 

ˈhäf-

: related to or being a half blood

half-blood steers

half-blood bison females

Note: Use of the adjective half-blood to refer to a person having parents of different races (see race entry 1 sense 1a) is considered offensive.

half blood

2 of 2

noun

plural half bloods

1

a

: the relation between persons having only one parent in common

b

: a person so related to another

2

offensive : half-breed

3

: a domestic animal with one parent purebred and the other of inferior breeding : grade sense 4

Examples of half-blood in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The crown has passed from one half-blood to another. —Jeremy Childs, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1608, in the meaning defined above

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Legal Definition

half blood

noun

: the relation between persons having only one parent in common

also : a person so related to another