birth

The event when a baby or young animal comes out of its mother’s body.

• The baby’s birth made everyone happy.
• She gave birth at home.
• His date of birth is on the form.

How to use it: give birth to someone (She gave birth to a healthy baby boy.); at birth (The baby weighed three kilos at birth.)

Similar words: childbirth, delivery

Opposites: death

Common phrases: give birth, birth certificate, date of birth, birth weight

The beginning of a new idea, activity, organization, or way of life.

• That meeting marked the birth of our club.
• The book describes the birth of modern science.
• New printing methods helped the birth of a national newspaper industry.

How to use it: birth of something (The invention marked the birth of a new industry.)

Similar words: beginning, origin, creation

Opposites: end

Common phrases: birth of something, birth of cinema

Related to someone through being born to them, rather than through adoption or marriage.

• She met her birth mother last year.
• His birth parents live in another country.
• Do you know anything about your birth father?

Similar words: biological

Opposites: adoptive

Common phrases: birth mother, birth father, birth parents

To bring a baby out of your body at the end of pregnancy.

• She birthed her baby at home.
• The midwife supported her as she birthed twins.
• Many women prefer to birth their babies in hospital.

Similar words: give birth to, bear, deliver

Common phrases: birth a baby, birth a child