birth
gb/bˈɚθ/ us/bˈɚθ/
A2
English
~ 1700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
event
1
the act of being born
When a baby comes out of its mother and starts life.
Usage pattern:
the birth of [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'birth' with 'birthday'. 'Birth' is the actual event, while 'birthday' is the yearly anniversary.
Synonyms
delivery (More clinical or medical term for the act of giving birth.)
Antonyms
death (Opposite life event marking the end of life.)
Collocations
give birth
|birth certificate
|birth weight
|birth canal
|birth process
Themes
family
|health
|life events
|body
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The birth of their first child was a joyful occasion.
- She gave birth to twins last night.
- The hospital has a special ward for childbirth.
- He weighed 3 kilograms at birth.
- They celebrated the baby's birth with a small party.
Learner examples
- The birth of the baby was in June.
- She gave birth to a healthy boy.
- At birth, the baby was small.
- My sister is reading about birth.
- The doctor helped with the birth.
Noun
B1
event
2
beginning of something new
The time when something new starts or is made.
Usage pattern:
the birth of [something]
Common mistake:
Some learners may use 'born' instead of 'birth' when talking about things. Use 'birth' for events or concepts, not 'born'.
Synonyms
origin (Focuses on the starting point or source rather than the act itself.)
Antonyms
end (Marks the cessation or conclusion instead of the start.)
Collocations
birth of democracy
|birth of a nation
|birth of a movement
Themes
history
|culture
|innovation
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The birth of the internet changed communication forever.
- Historians mark this event as the birth of modern science.
- We witnessed the birth of a new political era.
- The album marked the birth of her career.
- This was the birth of a great friendship.
Learner examples
- The birth of the internet changed our lives.
- We saw the birth of a new company.
- That song was the birth of her fame.
- It was the birth of a big idea.
- The birth of the club was in 1990.
Noun
B2
entity
3
social origin by family
The family or social group you are from by being born into it.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this meaning with the literal act of being born. Here it refers to social origin, not the event itself.
Synonyms
lineage (Focuses on ancestry and descent, often formal.)
Antonyms
meritocracy (Social status earned through personal ability rather than inherited at birth.)
Collocations
noble birth
|humble birth
Themes
society
|identity
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He is a man of noble birth.
- Her humble birth did not stop her from achieving success.
- They judged him by his birth rather than his actions.
- Birth alone does not determine character.
Learner examples
- He is from a rich birth.
- She has noble birth.
- Her humble birth did not stop her.
- They talked about his birth in that town.
Grammar
Dictionary form
birth
IPA
GB/bˈɚθ/
US/bˈɚθ/
Syllables & stress
birth (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (birth)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: birth
- Plural: birth, births
Word family
Forms
births
noun
Core family
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
unborn
adjective
Advanced or less common
rebirth
noun
birthrate
noun
Expressions
at birth
1/ˈæt bˈɚθ/
fixed phrase
when someone is born
At the time when someone comes into life.
Examples
- The baby weighed 3.2 kilograms at birth.
- At birth, she had a full head of hair.
birth control
1/bˈɚθ kəntɹˈoʊl/
fixed phrase
methods to prevent pregnancy
Ways to stop a woman from getting pregnant.
Examples
- They discussed different types of birth control with their doctor.
- Birth control pills are widely available.
from birth
1/fɹˈʌm bˈɚθ/
fixed phrase
since being born
Since the time someone came into life.
Examples
- He has been blind from birth.
- She has lived in this town from birth.
give birth (to)
1/ɡˈɪv bˈɚθ tə/
fixed phrase
to deliver a baby
To have a baby come out of your body.
Examples
- She gave birth to a healthy girl last night.
- The panda gave birth to two cubs at the zoo.
birth certificate
1/bˈɚθ sɚtˈɪfɪkɪt/
fixed phrase
official record of someone's birth
An official paper that says when and where you were born.
Examples
- You need your birth certificate to apply for a passport.
- You must bring your birth certificate to apply for the passport.
- The hospital gave them a copy of the baby's birth certificate.
- The hospital issued the baby's birth certificate last week.