Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Birth
Birth
(bẽrth)
, Noun.
1.
The act or fact of coming into life, or of being born; – generally applied to human beings;
as, the
. birth
of a son2.
Lineage; extraction; descent; sometimes, high birth; noble extraction.
Elected without reference to
birth
, but solely for qualifications. Prescott.
3.
The condition to which a person is born; natural state or position; inherited disposition or tendency.
A foe by
birth
to Troy’s unhappy name. Dryden.
4.
The act of bringing forth;
“At her next birth.” as, she had two children at a
. birth
Milton.
5.
That which is born; that which is produced, whether animal or vegetable.
Poets are far rarer
births
than kings. B. Jonson.
Others hatch their eggs and tend the
birth
till it is able to shift for itself. Addison.
6.
Origin; beginning;
as, the
. birth
of an empireNew birth
(Theol.)
, regeneration, or the commencement of a religious life.
Syn. – Parentage; extraction; lineage; race; family.
Webster 1828 Edition
Birth
BIRTH
,Noun.
1.
The act of coming into life, or of being born. Except in poetry, it is generally applied to human beings; as the birth of a son.2.
Lineage; extraction; descent; as, Grecian birth.It is used of high or low extraction; but is often used by way of distinction for a descent from noble or honorable parents and ancestors; as a man of birth.
3.
The condition in which a person is born.A foe by birth to Troy.
4.
That which is born; that which is produced, whether animal or vegetable.5.
The act of bringing forth; as, she had two children at a birth.6.
In a theological sense, regeneration is called the new birth.7.
Origin; beginning; as the birth of an empire.Definition 2024
birth
birth
English
Noun
birth (countable and uncountable, plural births)
- (uncountable) The process of childbearing; the beginning of life.
- (countable) An instance of childbirth.
- Intersex babies account for roughly one per cent of all births.
- (countable) A beginning or start; a point of origin.
- the birth of an empire
- (uncountable) The circumstances of one's background, ancestry, or upbringing.
- He was of noble birth, but fortune had not favored him.
- (Can we date this quote?), Prescott, (Please provide the title of the work):
- elected without reference to birth, but solely for qualifications
- That which is born.
- (Can we date this quote?), Ben Jonson, (Please provide the title of the work):
- Poets are far rarer births than kings.
- (Can we date this quote?), Addison, (Please provide the title of the work):
- Others hatch their eggs and tend the birth till it is able to shift for itself.
-
- Misspelling of berth.
Antonyms
- (beginning of life): death
Translations
process of childbearing; beginning of life
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instance of childbirth
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beginning or start; a point of origin
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circumstances of one's background
References
- ↑ Robert K. Barnhart, ed., Chambers Dictionary of Etymology (1988; reprint, Edinburgh: Chambers, 2008), 95.
- ↑ Richard Cleasby and Gudbrand Vigfusson's 1874 Icelandic-English dictionary.
- ↑ Joseph Bosworth and T. Northcote Toller's 1898 Anglo-Saxon dictionary.
Adjective
birth (not comparable)
- A familial relationship established by childbirth.
- Her birth father left when she was a baby; she was raised by her mother and stepfather.
Synonyms
Verb
birth (third-person singular simple present births, present participle birthing, simple past and past participle birthed)
- (dated or regional) To bear or give birth to (a child).
- 1939, Gone with the Wind (film), written by Sidney Howard, Ben Hecht, Jo Swerling, John Van Druten, Oliver H.P. Garrett:
- I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies!
-
- (figuratively) To produce, give rise to.
- 2006, R. Bruce Hull, Infinite Nature, University of Chicago Press, ISBN 9780226359441, page 156:
- Biological evolution created a human mind that enabled cultural evolution, which now outpaces and outclasses the force that birthed it.
-
Usage notes
- The term give birth (to) is much more common, especially in literal use.
Related terms
Translations
to give birth (to)
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Derived terms
Terms derived from the noun, adjective, or verb birth
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