The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word MATER
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
M
A
T
E
R
More clues leading to the result MATER
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Parent/one breeding?" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case parent/one breeding? = mater.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does MATER mean?
MATER noun- Mother.
- A meninx; the dura mater, arachnoid mater, or pia mater of the brain.
- Someone or something that mates.
- Tomato.