born
adjective
brought forth by birth.
born
1 American
[bawrn]
/ bɔrn /
adjective
-
brought forth by birth.
-
possessing from birth the quality, circumstances, or character stated.
a born musician; a born fool.
-
native to the locale stated; immigrated to the present place from the locale stated.
a German-born scientist; a Chicago-born New Yorker.
verb
idioms
Born
2
American
[bawrn]
/ bɔrn /
noun
born
1
British
/ bɔːn /
verb
-
the past participle (in most passive uses) of bear 1
-
is not gullible or foolish
adjective
-
possessing or appearing to have possessed certain qualities from birth
a born musician
-
-
being at birth in a particular social status or other condition as specified
ignobly born
-
( in combination )
lowborn
-
-
informal so far in one's life
Born
2
British
/ bɔːn /
noun
born
More Idioms
Usage
Care should be taken not to use born where borne is intended: he had borne (not born ) his ordeal with great courage ; the following points should be borne in mind
Commonly Confused
Since the latter part of the 18th century, a distinction has been made between born and borne as past participles of the verb bear1 . Borne is the past participle in all senses that do not refer to physical birth: The wheatfields have borne abundantly this year. Judges have always borne a burden of responsibility. Borne is also the participle when the sense is “to bring forth (young)” and the focus is on the mother rather than on the child. In such cases, borne is preceded by a form of have or followed by by: Anna had borne a son the previous year. Two children borne by her earlier were already grown. When the focus is on the offspring or on something brought forth as if by birth, born is the standard spelling, and it occurs only in passive constructions: My friend was born in Ohio. No children have been born at the South Pole. A strange desire was born of the tragic experience. Born is also an adjective meaning “by birth,” “innate,” or “native”: born free; a born troublemaker; Mexican-born.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of born
First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English boren (past participle of beran “to give birth”), equivalent to bor- past participle stem + -en past participle suffix; see bear 1, -en 3
Explanation
When a baby is born, she comes into the world through birth. If you say, "I was born in July," that's the month in which your mother gave birth to you. You can talk about a newly born baby or ask your friend what year she was born. Even ideas or organizations can be described this way: "My book group was born in 2005." If you're a really good bowler, you can also say you were born to do it, or that you're a "born bowling champion." The Old English root of born is boren, the past participle of beran, "to bring, bear, or produce."
Vocabulary lists containing born
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Retirement savings went on the back burner at age 50 when Ed Myrick’s son was born.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
He was born into a middle-class family in El Salvador and attended a school that emphasized discipline.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026
Initially, she hoped to qualify through her grandfather, who was born in Italy.
From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026
The future looks bright for Andreeva, who is the first player born after 2005 to lift a Grand Slam trophy.
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
"And his mother and father were born in Womengo. Their mothers and fathers were born in Womengo. It is sad that we will not see our village ever again."
From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
