ENGLISH
REFERENCE

birth

n. · v. · adj.
US //ˈbɝθ// UK //bˈɜːθ// birth
  1. 1 the start of life (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    the moment when a baby comes out of its mother and starts its life.

    the emergence of a young human or animal from the body of its mother. Often uncountable when referring to the process.

    Example

    The mother and baby were both doing well after the birth.

    Example

    The hospital staff provided exceptional support throughout the birth, ensuring that the mother felt safe and informed at every stage.
    Pitfall
    She gave a birth to a healthy boy.
    She gave birth to a healthy boy.

    In the common phrase 'give birth', do not use an article before 'birth'.

  2. 2 origin or beginning (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the start or beginning of something new, like an idea or a movement.

    the origin or beginning of something abstract. Often used with 'of'.

    Example

    Many people consider this event the birth of modern democracy.

    Example

    Historians often debate the exact moment that marked the birth of the industrial revolution in Europe.
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  1. 3 family background (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    the family or social group you are born into.

    lineage, ancestry, or inherited social status.

    Example

    He was a man of noble birth who lived in a large castle.

    Example

    Despite her humble birth, she rose through the ranks of the civil service to become a highly influential advisor.
  2. 4 to have a baby (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Medicine

    to give birth to a baby.

    to bring forth offspring. Transitive use is common in medical or informal contexts.

    Example

    The sheep birthed two healthy lambs in the middle of the night.

    Example

    The documentary followed several women as they prepared to birth their children at home without medical intervention.
  3. 5 related by birth (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    describing a family relationship you have from the moment you are born.

    denoting a familial relationship established by biological origin rather than adoption or marriage.

    Example

    He decided to search for his birth parents when he turned eighteen.

    Example

    The law protects the privacy of birth certificates while allowing adopted individuals to seek information about their biological heritage.
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.

Word family
Idioms2 entries

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