Domesticise (British English) or domesticize (American English) means to make something or someone more suitable for domestic life, such as a wild animal that has been trained to live with humans. This word is pronounced /dəˈmɛstɪsaɪz/ in British English and /dəˈmɛstəsaɪz/ in American English. The stress is on the second syllable 'mes'. The suffix '-ise' is more commonly used in British English, while '-ize' is more commonly used in American English, although both spellings are technically correct.
The term "domesticise" refers to the process or act of adapting a wild or untamed animal or plant to live and interact with humans in a domesticated or controlled environment. It involves transforming a creature's behavior, instincts, and physical characteristics to suit a human household or setting.
In the context of animals, domestication involves selectively breeding them over generations to develop traits such as tameness, reduced aggression, and increased dependence on humans for food and protection. It also implies the animal's ability to live and reproduce successfully in captivity. For example, dogs, cats, and farm animals like cows, pigs, and chickens have undergone domestication processes, resulting in their compatibility with humans and their increased vulnerability to survive in the wild.
Domestication of plants, on the other hand, refers to the cultivation and modification of wild species for human consumption or use. This process involves selective breeding to enhance traits like yield, taste, size, and resistance to pests and diseases. Common examples of domesticated plants include wheat, rice, corn, and various fruit and vegetable crops that have been modified over centuries to meet human needs for food and resources.
Overall, domesticising encompasses the transformation of wild organisms into manageable companions or resources for humans, altering their physical, behavioral, and reproductive characteristics to adapt and thrive in human-controlled environments.
The word "domesticise" is derived from the Latin word "domesticus", which means "belonging to the house" or "of the household". It is formed by combining the Latin prefix "domus", meaning "house", with the suffix "-ic", indicating "belonging to" or "pertaining to". In essence, "domesticise" refers to the act of making something or someone domestic, taming, or adapting them to the household or domestic environment.