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sire

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sire

  [sahyuhr] noun, verb, sired, sir⋅ing.
Use sire in a Sentence
–noun
1. the male parent of a quadruped.
2. a respectful term of address, now used only to a male sovereign.
3. Archaic.
a. a father or forefather.
b. a person of importance or in a position of authority, as a lord.
–verb (used with object)
4. to beget; procreate as the father.
Origin:
1175–1225; ME < OF (nom. sing.) < VL *seior, for L senior senior (cf. F monsieur orig., my lord, with sieur < *seiōr-, obl. s. of *seior)

Related forms:
sireless, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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sire   (sīr)   
n.  

  1. A father.

  2. The male parent of an animal, especially a domesticated mammal such as a horse.

  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
To father; beget.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *seior, from Latin senior, older, comparative of senex, old; see sen- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

sire 
c.1205, title placed before a name and denoting knighthood, from O.Fr. sire, from V.L. *seior, from L. senior "older, elder" (see senior). Standing alone and meaning "your majesty" it is attested from c.1225. General sense of "important elderly man" is from 1362; that of "father, male parent" is from c.1250. The verb meaning "to beget, to be the sire of" is attested from 1611, from the noun.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1sire
Pronunciation: 'sI(&)r
Function: noun
: the male parent of an animal and especially of a domestic animal

Main Entry: 2sire
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: sired; sir·ing
: to procreate as the male parent of
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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