born
/bɔːrn/
adjective
Origin
Proto-Indo-European
*bher- — to carry, to bear
Overview
Meaning Now
- brought into life by birth; existing as a result of birth.
- having a natural talent or inclination for a specified activity.
Literal older meaning
carried or brought forth
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
boren
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The word originates as the past participle of the verb 'bear'. In Old and Middle English, 'bear' held the dual meaning of carrying a physical object and carrying a child in the womb, leading to the use of 'born' specifically for the event of childbirth.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*bher-
“to carry or bear”
- Proto-Germanic
*beraną
“to carry, to give birth”
- Old English
beran
“to bear, bring forth”
- Middle English
born / yborn
“brought into life”
Connections
Word parts
born
root
past participle of bear
Related across languages
German
geboren
born
Dutch
geboren
born
Swedish
buren
carried/borne
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.