BIRTH

[noun] - the occasion when a baby comes out of its mother's bodyThe birth of their first child was a joyous occasion. [C]More men are present at the births of their children these days. [C]The sheep died soon after the birth of her lambs. [C]Their son weighed eight pounds at birth. [U]The application form will ask for your country/place of birth (= where you were born). [U]A birth is also a child which is born.The percentage of live births (= children who are born alive and continue to live) continues to increase.Registration of births and deaths became compulsory in 1871.Birth also refers to the position of the family into which you are born, esp. its social position.He had received all the advantages of birth (= having been born into a family of a high social class) and an expensive education.She was of low/noble birth (= born into the lowest/highest social class).The children suffered the stigma of illegitimate birth (= being born to parents were not married).Oscar Wilde was Irish by birth (= he was born in Ireland).When a female gives birth, she causes one or more babies to come out of her body.They were delighted when she gave birth to a healthy child.She gave birth to twins.Our cat gave birth last night.(figurative) The extraordinary experience gave birth to his latest novel (= caused it to happen).A birth certificate is a document recording a baby's birth including such information as name, time, place, and parents.Birth control means the various methods or types of equipment that allow people to have sex without having children as a result.A birth control pill (informal the pill) is a pill taken by a woman that prevents her from becoming pregnant if she has sex.A birth defect is a physical or chemical problem with some body part(s) or process which is present at birth.A birth mother/father/parent is a biological mother/father/parent.See at biology.The birth rate is the number of births which happen during a period of time in a particular place.There was concern at the falling/rising birth rate.