beget

[ bih-get ]

verb (used with object)

, be·got or (Archaic) be·gat; be·got·ten or be·got; be·get·ting.

1. (especially of a male parent) to procreate or generate (offspring).

   Synonyms: father, breed, sire, spawn

2. to cause; produce as an effect:

   a belief that power begets power.

   Synonyms: generate, effect, engender, occasion

beget

/ bɪˈɡɛt /

verb

1. to father
2. to cause or create

Derived Forms

• beˈgetter, noun

Other Words From

• be·get·ter noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of beget¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English begeten ( be-, get ); replacing Middle English biyeten, Old English begetan; cognate with Gothic bigitan, Old High German bigezzan

Word History and Origins

Origin of beget¹

Old English begietan ; related to Old Saxon bigetan , Old High German pigezzan , Gothic bigitan to find; see be- , get

Example Sentences

Meanwhile, accusations of bullying have begotten accusations of counter-bullying.

From Digiday

Because money begets money, billionaires such as Bezos—and even some who are trying a little harder to give it away—struggle to make a dent in their wealth.

From Time

Zoonosis begets reverse zoonosis, which can, in turn, come back around to zoonosis again.

From FiveThirtyEight

This achievement obsession can also beget greed, causing those who are prosperous high achievers to believe they are the elect.

From Time

At least the favorites should have an opportunity to beget some inky foals.

From Washington Post

A society which is willing to accept increasing levels of violence is a society that will beget more of it.

From The Daily Beast

An interest in fashion also seems to beget an assumption of selfishness and mean-spiritedness.

From The Daily Beast

While some may say that our exploding obesity epidemic is a hyperbole, fat does beget fat.

From The Daily Beast

This year, however, risk has returned to broadcast television—now will it actually beget innovation?

From The Daily Beast

This year, risk has returned to broadcast television—now will it actually beget innovation?

From The Daily Beast

Marriage will not cure hysteria,—the worst cases are married women, and they beget other hysterics in spreading succession.

From Project Gutenberg

Were it not for the existence of passions no one would build a house, marry a wife, beget children, or do any work.

From Project Gutenberg

The tendency of the American system, on the other hand, is to beget a spirit of routine and to check productivity.

From Project Gutenberg

But the power of Number, hypostatically existing within it, divided it, and made it beget the manifold.

From Project Gutenberg

Of which soul are these reasons,79 which do not beget the man (though they do beget the animal), then the actualization?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bring about
• engender
• sire