beget

1 of 2

verb

be·​get bi-ˈget 

bē-

begot bi-ˈgät 

bē-

also begat bi-ˈgat 

bē-

; begotten bi-ˈgä-tᵊn 

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

begetter

2 of 2

noun

be·​get·​ter

bi-ˈge-tər, 

bē-

plural -s

: one that begets

Synonyms of beget

Verb

• create
• cause
• generate
• bring
• produce
• prompt
• do
• spawn

Examples of beget in a Sentence

Verb

He died without begetting an heir.

one change in the natural environment will beget others

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

This Time album will beget Vanity 6, which will beget 1999. —Ahmir “questlove” Thompson, VIBE.com, 7 June 2026

Lestat begat his first love, Nicolas de Lenfent, as well as Louis, Claudia, and another lover, Antoinette. —Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 7 June 2026

But one of the hardest yet most common lessons investors learn is that strength often begets more strength. —Jay Woods, CNBC, 4 June 2026

War begetting still more war, like some deranged biblical prophecy. —Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 15 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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

Noun

Middle English begetere, from begeten + -ere -er

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for beget

• abet
• asset
• baguette
• banquette
• barbette
• beset
• binet
• briquette
• brunet
• brunette
• burette
• cadet

Kids Definition

beget

verb

be·​get bi-ˈget 

begot -ˈgät  also begat -ˈgat  ; begotten -ˈgät-ᵊn  or begot; begetting

1

: to become the father of

2

: cause entry 2

begetter noun