[birth] n, often attrib [ME, fr. ON byrth; akin to OE beran] (13c) 1 a: the emergence of a new individual from the body of its parent b: the act or process of bringing forth young from the womb
2: a state resulting from being born esp. at a particular time or place "a Southerner by ~" 3 a: lineage, extraction "marriage between equals in ~" b: high or noble birth
4. a archaic: one that is born b: beginning, start "the ~ of an idea"
[2]birth vt (1906) 1 chiefly dial: to bring forth
2: to give rise to: originate ~ vi: to bring forth a child or young