Definition

1. Noun:

   • The act or process of being born; the emergence of a baby or other young from the body of its mother: This is the primary meaning, referring to the event of coming into life.
   • The beginning or origin of something: "Birth" can also refer to the start or creation of an idea, movement, or era.
   • Lineage or ancestry: It can denote the family or social group into which a person is born.

2. Verb:

   • To give birth to; to bear (a child): This is a less common but standard verb form meaning to bring forth offspring.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The birth of their daughter was a joyous occasion.
  • The country celebrated the birth of its independence.
  • She is a musician by birth and by training.

• Verb:

  • The mare is expected to birth a foal in the spring.

Advanced Usage

• "To give birth to": This is the most common phrasal construction for the act of producing offspring or bringing something into existence.

  • She gave birth to a healthy boy.
  • The revolution gave birth to a new form of government.

• "At birth": referring to the time immediately after being born.

  • The baby weighed 3.5 kilograms at birth.

• "Birth of an idea": a metaphorical use indicating the origin of a concept.

  • The meeting was the birth of our new project.

Variants and Related Words

• Birthday (n): The anniversary of the day on which a person was born.

  • We celebrate her birthday every year.

• Birthplace (n): The place where a person was born or where something originated.

  • Stratford-upon-Avon is the birthplace of Shakespeare.

• Childbirth (n): The process of giving birth to a child.

  • She took a class to prepare for childbirth.

Synonyms

• Nativity: (formal) The occasion of a person's birth.
• Delivery: The process of giving birth.
• Origin: The point or place where something begins.

Related Phrases and Phrasal Verbs

• "Birth certificate": An official document recording a person's birth.

  • You need your birth certificate to apply for a passport.

• "Birth control": Methods used to prevent pregnancy.

  • They discussed birth control options with their doctor.

• "Birth mother/father": The biological mother or father of a child.

  • He was adopted but later met his birth mother.

Related Idioms

• "To be of noble/humble birth": To come from a high or low social class by family lineage.

  • In the story, the princess was of noble birth.

• "A new birth of freedom": A poetic or formal phrase for the beginning of a new era of liberty.

  • The president spoke of a new birth of freedom for the nation.

Noun

1. a baby born; an offspring
   • the overall rate of incidence of Down's syndrome is one in every 800 births
2. the kinship relation of an offspring to the parents
3. the process of giving birth
4. the event of being born
   • they celebrated the birth of their first child
5. the time when something begins (especially life)
   • they divorced after the birth of the child
   • his election signaled the birth of a new age

Verb

1. cause to be born
   • My wife had twins yesterday!