birth

birth
\ \ [12] Old English had a word gebyrdbirth’ which survived until the end of the 13th century as birde, but it was quite distinct from (though related to) modern English birth, which was borrowed from Old Norse byrth. This came from the same Germanic stem (*ber-, *bur-) as produced bear, bairn, and indeed Old English gebyrd. The suffix -th denotes a process, or the result of a process: hence birth is ‘(the result of) the process of bearing a child’. Along with bath and death it is one of the most ancient words formed with -th.
\ \ Cf.BAIRN, BEAR, BERTH

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Birth — is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/birth] . The offspring is brought forth from the mother. Different forms of birth are oviparity, vivipary or ovovivipary.Two words used to… …   Wikipedia

  • birth — W2S2 [bə:θ US bə:rθ] n [Date: 1200 1300; : Old Norse; Origin: byrth] 1.) give birth (to sb) if a woman gives birth, she produces a baby from her body ▪ Patsy was celebrating last night after giving birth to twins. 2.) [U and C] the time when a… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • birth — [ bɜrθ ] noun *** 1. ) count or uncount the occasion of a baby being born: We are happy to announce the birth of our son Andrew. John wanted to be present at the birth. from/since birth: James has been blind from birth. at birth (=at the time… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Birth — (b[ e]rth), n. [OE. burth, birth, AS. beor[eth], gebyrd, fr. beran to bear, bring forth; akin to D. geboorte, OHG. burt, giburt, G. geburt, Icel. bur[eth]r, Skr. bhrti bearing, supporting; cf. Ir. & Gael. beirthe born, brought forth. [root]92.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • birth — [bʉrth] n. [ME birthe, burthe < ON byrth, akin to OE gebyrde, byrde, Goth gabaurths < IE * bhrto, pp. of base * bher , BEAR1] 1. the act of bringing forth offspring 2. the act or fact of coming into life, or of being born; nativity 3.… …   English World dictionary

  • birth — birth; birth·day; birth·dom; birth·land; birth·less; birth·stool; mis·birth; re·birth; …   English syllables

  • Birth — Données clés Titre québécois Birth Titre original Birth Réalisation Jonathan Glazer Scénario Jean Claude Carrière, Milo Addica, Jonathan Glazer Pays d’origine …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Birth — ist der Name eines Stadtteils von Velbert im nordrhein westfälischen Kreis Mettmann, siehe Velbert Birth einer Ortschaft im niederrheinischen Kreis Viersen einer Ortschaft der Stadt Hennef (Sieg), siehe Birth (Hennef) eines Films des britischen… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • birth — I (beginning) noun animation, arrival, commencement, creation, debut, embarkation, establishment, exordium, genesis, inauguration, inception, incipience, incipiency, incunabula, infancy, introduction, nascency, onset, origin, origination, ortus,… …   Law dictionary

  • birth — ► NOUN 1) the emergence of a baby or other young from the body of its mother; the start of life as a physically separate being. 2) the beginning of something. 3) origin or ancestry: he is of noble birth. DERIVATIVES birthing noun. ● give birth Cf …   English terms dictionary

  • birth — [n1] becoming alive bearing, beginning, birthing, blessed event*, childbearing, childbirth, creation, act of God, delivery, labor, nascency, natality, nativity, parturition, producing, travail, visit from stork*; concepts 302,373 Ant. death birth …   New thesaurus

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