beget

verb

be·​get bi-ˈget How to pronounce beget (audio)
bē-
begot bi-ˈgät How to pronounce beget (audio)
bē-
also begat bi-ˈgat How to pronounce beget (audio)
bē-
; begotten bi-ˈgä-tᵊn How to pronounce beget (audio)
bē-
or begot; begetting

transitive verb

1
: to procreate as the father : sire
He died without begetting an heir.
2
: to produce especially as an effect or outgrowth
Violence only begets more violence.
begetter noun

Examples of beget in a Sentence

He died without begetting an heir. one change in the natural environment will beget others
Recent Examples on the Web Air-drying my hair begets frizz, which threatens to turn curly and wavy hair into a shapeless, foamy cloud. Veronica Cristino, Vogue, 11 July 2023 Over the years one delay, one set of denials, begat another delay, another set of denials. David Shribman, BostonGlobe.com, 6 July 2023 Going from the woe begotten White Sox to the Angels at the trade deadline, and then moving again to the Guardians in the middle of a last-ditch playoff push to open September is enough to make any player’s head spin. Joe Noga, cleveland, 3 Sep. 2023 Food scarcity begets hunger, behind which looms instability. Michael Kimmage and Hanna Notte, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2023 Beyond that, one or two seizures can beget more, a cycle that neurologists try to interrupt with treatment. Benjamin Mueller, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2023 College degrees tend to beget more college degrees. Dante Chinni, NBC News, 9 July 2023 Thus, where there is gain, there is also pain; the latter begets the former. Brett Christophers, Time, 23 June 2023 Maybe empty vengeance does beget more empty vengeance. Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'beget.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English begeten, beyeten, going back to Old English begietan "to get, beget," from be- be- + gietan "to get entry 1"

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of beget was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near beget

Cite this Entry

“Beget.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beget. Accessed 29 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

beget

verb
be·​get bi-ˈget How to pronounce beget (audio)
begot -ˈgät How to pronounce beget (audio) also begat -ˈgat How to pronounce beget (audio) ; begotten -ˈgät-ᵊn How to pronounce beget (audio) or begot; begetting
1
: to become the father of
2
begetter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on beget

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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