What does "birth" mean?
The process of childbearing; the beginning of life; the emergence of a human baby or other viviparous animal offspring from the mother's body into the environment.
Birth
/bɜːθ/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The process of childbearing; the beginning of life; the emergence of a human baby or other viviparous animal offspring from the mother's body into the environment.
- Grammar: birth is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: nativity, abiogenesis, abortion, accouchement.
- Useful contrasts: abort, abortions, atropos.
- Usage evidence: The proliferation of Internet usage has given birth to a new generation of young people.
How to use "birth"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "birth" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "birth" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "birth" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "birth" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "birth" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "nativity" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "birth", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The process of childbearing; the beginning of life; the emergence of a human baby or other viviparous animal offspring from the mother's body into the environment. uncountable
- 2 Obsolete spelling of berth. alt-of, obsolete
"He vvas a Surgeon, and they called him Doctor; but he vvas not employed in the Sloop as a Surgeon, but vvas going to Berbadoes to get a Birth, as the Sailors call it."
- 3 the event of being born wordnet
- 4 An instance of childbirth. countable
"Intersex babies account for roughly one per cent of all births."
- 5 a baby born; an offspring wordnet
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 A beginning or start; a point of origin. countable
"the birth of an empire"
- 7 the process of giving birth wordnet
- 8 The circumstances of one's background, ancestry, or upbringing. uncountable
"He was of noble birth, but fortune had not favored him."
- 9 the kinship relation of an offspring to the parents wordnet
- 10 That which is born. countable, uncountable
"That poets are far rarer births than kings."
- 11 the time when something begins (especially life) wordnet
Verb
- 1 To bear or give birth to (a child). transitive
"I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies!"
- 2 cause to be born wordnet
- 3 To produce, give rise to. figuratively, transitive
"Biological evolution created a human mind that enabled cultural evolution, which now outpaces and outclasses the force that birthed it."
Adjective
- 1 A familial relationship established by childbirth. not-comparable
"Her birth father left when she was a baby; she was raised by her mother and stepfather."
Example
"The proliferation of Internet usage has given birth to a new generation of young people."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "birth"?
Common synonyms include: nativity, abiogenesis, abortion, accouchement, affiliation, allele.
How do you use "birth" in a sentence?
The proliferation of Internet usage has given birth to a new generation of young people.
How do you pronounce "birth"?
Pronounced /bɜːθ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *bʰértisder. Proto-Germanic *burþiz Old Norse burðrbor. Middle English birthe English birth From Middle English birthe (1250), from earlier burthe, burde, from Old Norse burðr, byrd (Old Swedish byrth, Swedish börd), replacing Old English ġebyrd (rare variant byrþ), equivalent to bear + -th (thus a piecewise doublet of berth). The Old Norse is from Proto-Germanic *burdiz (compare Old Frisian berde, berd); Old English ġebyrd is from prefixed *gaburþiz (compare Dutch geboorte, German Geburt), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰŕ̥tis (compare Latin fors (“luck”), Old Irish brith), from *bʰer- (“to carry, bear”). More at bear.
Etymology 2
From Middle English birthen, birðen, from the noun (see above).
Etymology 3
See berth.