begotten: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Literary, Biblical/Religious
Quick answer
What does “begotten” mean?
The past participle of 'beget', meaning to father or procreate.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The past participle of 'beget', meaning to father or procreate; to bring into existence.
Used to describe something that is generated, produced, or caused by a specific source or origin. In religious contexts, refers to a relationship of divine origin.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Both varieties use it primarily in formal/literary/religious contexts.
Connotations
Equally archaic/formal in both dialects.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general usage in both, slightly higher in UK due to more frequent retention of traditional liturgical language.
Grammar
How to Use “begotten” in a Sentence
be begotten of [noun]be begotten by [noun]be [adj]-begottenVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “begotten” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The king had begotten several heirs before his death.
- Such policies have begotten widespread discontent.
American English
- He had begotten three children by his first wife.
- The scandal begotten by the leak ruined his career.
adverb
British English
- This was not naturally begotten.
American English
- It was divinely begotten.
adjective
British English
- His ill-begotten wealth was soon squandered.
- The only begotten Son is a central doctrine.
American English
- He lived off his ill-begotten gains.
- A heaven-begotten talent like hers is rare.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in theological, philosophical, or literary analysis (e.g., 'Platonic forms are unbegotten').
Everyday
Extremely rare, except in the fixed phrase 'only begotten Son' heard in religious contexts.
Technical
Not used in scientific contexts; 'produced' or 'generated' are preferred.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “begotten”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “begotten”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “begotten”
- Using 'begotten' as a simple past tense (e.g., 'He begotten a son' - incorrect). It is only a past participle.
- Using it in casual contexts where 'had' or 'fathered' would be natural.
- Misspelling as 'begotton'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but almost exclusively in formal, literary, or religious contexts. It is not part of everyday spoken English.
'Begot' is the simple past tense ('He begot a son'), while 'begotten' is the past participle, used with auxiliary verbs ('He has begotten a son'). 'Begotten' is far more common in modern usage.
Yes, in a literary sense. You can say 'a plan begotten of desperation' or 'mistrust begotten by past failures.'
It is a direct translation from biblical Greek (μονογενής, monogenēs), used in Christian theology to describe Jesus Christ's unique relationship with God the Father, meaning 'one-of-a-kind' or 'uniquely generated.'
The past participle of 'beget', meaning to father or procreate.
Begotten is usually formal, literary, biblical/religious in register.
Begotten: in British English it is pronounced /bɪˈɡɒt.ən/, and in American English it is pronounced /bɪˈɡɑː.t̬ən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “only begotten Son”
- “ill-begotten gains”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: Be + got + ten. 'He has BEen GOT' from his father, making him 'begotten'.
Conceptual Metaphor
ORIGIN IS PROGENY (e.g., 'Fear begotten of ignorance').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'begotten' most commonly encountered today?