birthing

UK: /ˈbɜː^rθɪŋ/ US: /ˈbɝθɪŋ/ ,(bûr′thing)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

birth•ing /ˈbɜrθɪŋ/   n. [countable]

1. Medicine an act or instance of giving birth, esp. by natural childbirth.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

birth•ing  (bûr′thing), n. 

1. Medicine an act or instance of giving birth, esp. by natural childbirth.

• birth + -ing¹ 1925–30

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

birth /bɜrθ/   n. 

1. Medicine [uncountable] an act or instance of being born: What was the date of your birth?
2. Medicine the act or process of bringing forth young;
   childbirth:
   [countable] a long and difficult birth.
3. [uncountable] descent;
   nationality (because one was born in a particular place):
   Greek by birth.
4. any coming into existence;
   origin:
   [countable* usually singular] the birth of an idea.

Idioms

5. Idioms give birth to, [~ + object]
   • to bear (a child):
     She gave birth to a boy.
   • to initiate;
     originate:
     Einstein gave birth to a whole new way of looking at matter and energy.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

birth  (bûrth), n. 

1. Medicine an act or instance of being born:
   the day of his birth.
2. Medicine the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring;
   childbirth;
   parturition:
   a difficult birth.
3. lineage;
   extraction;
   descent:
   of Grecian birth.
4. high or noble lineage:
   to be foolishly vain about one's birth.
5. natural heritage:
   a musician by birth.
6. any coming into existence;
   origin;
   beginning:
   the birth of Protestantism; the birth of an idea.
7. [Archaic.] something that is born.
8. Idioms give birth to:
   • to bear (a child).
   • to initiate;
     originate:
     Her hobby gave birth to a successful business.

v.t. Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. 

9. Dialect Terms to give birth to.
10. Dialect Terms to assist in giving birth;
    act as midwife for.

• Scandinavian; compare Old Swedish byrth; cognate with Old English gebyrd, Old High German giburt, Gothic gabaurths
• Middle English byrthe 1150–1200

Synonyms

• 3. parentage, ancestry, line, blood, family, race.
• 6. start, commencement, inception, genesis; launching, inauguration.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

birth / bɜːθ/ noun

1. the process of bearing young; parturition; childbirth
2. the act or fact of being born; nativity
3. the coming into existence of something; origin
4. ancestry; lineage: of high birth
5. natural or inherited talent: an artist by birth
6. give birth ⇒ to bear (offspring)
7. to produce, originate, or create (an idea, plan, etc)

verb (transitive)

1. to bear or bring forth (a child)

Etymology: 12th Century: from Old Norse byrth; related to Gothic gabaurths, Old Swedish byrdh, Old High German berd child; see bear¹, bairn