Ma'anar ƙamus na "inbreeding" yana nufin tsarin kiwo na kud da kud, kamar 'yan'uwa ko 'yan uwan juna, a cikin wata ƙungiya ko jama'a. A cikin ilmin halitta, wannan na iya nufin haduwar dabbobi ko tsire-tsire waɗanda ke da alaƙa ta kud-da-kud a cikin jinsin halitta, wanda ke haifar da raguwar bambancin kwayoyin halitta a cikin al'umma. Haɓakawa na iya haifar da mummunan sakamako, kamar ƙãra yuwuwar rashin lafiyar kwayoyin halitta da rage dacewa ga zuriya. Sau da yawa ana nisantar zuriyar dabbobi a kiwon dabbobi da kiwo, da kuma a cikin jama'a, don kiyaye bambance-bambancen kwayoyin halitta da hana bayyanar da halaye masu cutarwa.