What does "birth" mean?

1. (the start of life) the moment when a baby comes out of its mother and starts its life. 2. (origin or beginning) the start or beginning of something new, like an idea or a movement. 3. (family background) the family or social group you are born into. 4. (to have a baby) to give birth to a baby. 5. (related by birth) describing a family relationship you have from the moment you are born.

birth — meaning, definition & examples

Q: Is it correct to say "She gave a birth to a healthy boy."?

No — say "She gave birth to a healthy boy.". In the common phrase 'give birth', do not use an article before 'birth'.

Word

01the start of life

A2 · Elementary Countable noun

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

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

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

“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'.

Synonyms

childbirth delivery

Antonyms

death

02origin or beginning

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun

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

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

“Many people consider this event the birth of modern democracy.”

“Historians often debate the exact moment that marked the birth of the industrial revolution in Europe.”

Synonyms

origin dawn inception

Antonyms

end conclusion

03family background

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal

n. the family or social group you are born into.

n. lineage, ancestry, or inherited social status.

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

“Despite her humble birth, she rose through the ranks of the civil service to become a highly influential advisor.”

Synonyms

ancestry lineage descent

04to have a baby

B2 · Upper Intermediate Medicine

v. to give birth to a baby.

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

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

“The documentary followed several women as they prepared to birth their children at home without medical intervention.”

Synonyms

deliver bear

05related by birth

B1 · Intermediate

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

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

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

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

Synonyms

biological

Antonyms

adoptive

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “birth” in context.

01. birth defects 02. birth of my daughter 03. birth to her first

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.