birth
- 01 A2 Elementary
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.
Simple“The mother and baby were both doing well after the birth.”
In context“The hospital staff provided exceptional support throughout the birth, ensuring that the mother felt safe and informed at every stage.”
PitfallShe 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'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
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'.
Simple“Many people consider this event the birth of modern democracy.”
In context“Historians often debate the exact moment that marked the birth of the industrial revolution in Europe.”
Antonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
n.the family or social group you are born into.
n.lineage, ancestry, or inherited social status.
Simple“He was a man of noble birth who lived in a large castle.”
In context“Despite her humble birth, she rose through the ranks of the civil service to become a highly influential advisor.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to give birth to a baby.
v.to bring forth offspring. Transitive use is common in medical or informal contexts.
Simple“The sheep birthed two healthy lambs in the middle of the night.”
In context“The documentary followed several women as they prepared to birth their children at home without medical intervention.”
- 05 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.
Simple“He decided to search for his birth parents when he turned eighteen.”
In context“The law protects the privacy of birth certificates while allowing adopted individuals to seek information about their biological heritage.”
SynonymsAntonyms
Usage birth defects · birth of my daughter · 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.
From Middle English birthen, birðen, from the noun (see above).
See berth.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.