pregnant

adjective preg·nant \ ˈpreg-nənt \

Updated on: 22 Apr 2018

Definition of pregnant

1 archaic : cogent

2 : abounding in fancy, wit, or resourcefulness : inventive

all this has been said … by great and pregnant artists
—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

3 : rich in significance or implication

the pregnant phrases of the Bible
—Edmund Wilson

a pregnant pause

4 : containing a developing embryo, fetus, or unborn offspring within the body : gravid

5 : having possibilities of development or consequence : involving important issues : momentous

draw inspiration from the heroic achievements of that pregnant age
—Kemp Malone

6 obsolete : inclined, disposed

your own most pregnant and vouchsafed ear
—William Shakespeare

7 : full, teeming

—

pregnantly

adverb

See pregnant defined for English-language learners

See pregnant defined for kids

Examples of pregnant in a Sentence

She got pregnant soon after her marriage.
There was a pregnant pause before the winner was announced.

Recent Examples of pregnant from the Web

The parish also started a Gabriel Network team to assist pregnant women in need.

— mary schneidau sullivan, Laurel Leader, "A church with staying power," 19 Apr. 2018
For couples who are considering getting pregnant and are traveling to areas with Zika, the CDC recommends taking precautions upon return.

— alexandra sifferlin, Time, "Do I Still Need to Worry About Zika?," 17 Apr. 2018
Instead of angels and saints, there were soldiers beheading one another; instead of Madonnas and Christs, there were pregnant women sprouting from acanthus buds.

— junot díaz, The New Yorker, "The Hunt for Mexico’s Heirloom Beans," 17 Apr. 2018
Expansion of High School options for non-traditional students this includes pregnant women, bread winners, single fathers, handicapped individuals and those suffering from constant or terminal illness.

— staff reports, charlotteobserver, "NC House candidates: Where they stand on key issues | Charlotte Observer," 17 Apr. 2018
When her oldest sister got pregnant, Rebecca became infatuated with her belly, and her sister would wake up to find Rebecca standing over her.

— justin wm. moyer, chicagotribune.com, "She was tossed from a hospital on a cold night wearing only a gown. The viral video followed years of struggles.," 16 Apr. 2018
Rats can give birth to 6-12 babies per litter and are able to get pregnant three to five times a year on average.

— vanesa brashier, Houston Chronicle, "Teams, volunteers needed for Clean Up Cleveland on May 19," 9 Apr. 2018
The study, in Hypertension, found no association of blood pressure with the ability to get pregnant.

— nicholas bakalar, New York Times, "High Blood Pressure Tied to Pregnancy Loss," 6 Apr. 2018
Or men like Jimmy Russell, a star athlete who’d tried out for the Cincinnati Reds but needed to get an honest job when his wife got pregnant.

— tony sachs, Esquire, "Kentucky Bourbon Is a Family Business. A New Generation Is Ready to Take Over.," 14 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pregnant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of pregnant

Middle English, from Latin praegnant-, praegnans carrying a fetus, alteration of praegnas, from prae- pre- + -gnas (akin to gignere to give birth to) — more at kin

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

pregnant Synonyms

Phrases

with child, with young;

PREGNANT Defined for English Language Learners

pregnant

adjective

Definition of pregnant for English Language Learners

of a woman or female animal : having a baby or babies developing inside the body
: filled with meaning or emotion because of what is going to happen or be said