What does "engender" mean?
To beget (of a man); to bear or conceive (of a woman).
Engender
/ɛnˈd͡ʒɛn.dɚ/ verb
verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To beget (of a man); to bear or conceive (of a woman).
- Grammar: engender is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: beget, father, generate, sire.
- Useful contrasts: abolish, abort, cease to reproduce.
- Usage evidence: O Error ſoone conceyu’d, Thou neuer com’ſt vnto a happy byrth, But kil’ſt the Mother that engendred thee.
How to use "engender"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "engender" 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 "engender" 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 "engender" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "engender" 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 "engender" is acting as 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 "beget" 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.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "engender", 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
Verb
- 1 To beget (of a man); to bear or conceive (of a woman). obsolete, transitive
"O Error ſoone conceyu’d, Thou neuer com’ſt vnto a happy byrth, But kil’ſt the Mother that engendred thee."
- 2 To endow with gender; to create gender or enhance the importance of gender.
"Gender, they emphasize, is socially constructed by our surroundings. We are en-gendered by our families, our teachers, and by the images in our music, films, media and fashions."
- 3 make (offspring) by reproduction wordnet
- 4 To give existence to, to produce (living creatures). transitive
"Like all interesting literary figures, he is full of tacit as well as of uttered reference to the conditions that engendered him[…]."
- 5 call forth wordnet
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 To bring into existence (a situation, quality, result etc.); to give rise to, cause, create. transitive
"ME thinkes vertue is another manner of thing, and much more noble than the inclinations vnto goodneſſe, which in vs are ingendered."
- 7 To assume form; to come into existence; to be caused or produced. intransitive
"Thick Clouds are ſpread, and Storms engender there, And Thunders Voice, which wretched Mortals fear, And Winds that on their Wings, cold Winter bear."
- 8 To copulate, to have sex. intransitive, obsolete
"But that the bodies of the Reprobate, who make the Kingdome of Satan, ſhall alſo be glorious, or ſpirituall bodies, or that they ſhall bee as the Angels of God, neither eating, nor, drinking, nor engendering[…], there is no place of Scripture to prove it[…]"
Example
"O Error ſoone conceyu’d, Thou neuer com’ſt vnto a happy byrth, But kil’ſt the Mother that engendred thee."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "engender"?
Common synonyms include: beget, father, generate, sire, arouse, author.
How do you use "engender" in a sentence?
O Error ſoone conceyu’d, Thou neuer com’ſt vnto a happy byrth, But kil’ſt the Mother that engendred thee.
How do you pronounce "engender"?
Pronounced /ɛnˈd͡ʒɛn.dɚ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English engendren, from Old French engendrer, from Latin ingenerāre.
Etymology 2
From en- + gender.