engender
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
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(tr) to bring about or give rise to; produce or cause
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to be born or cause to be born; bring or come into being
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has engenderedperfect 3rd person singular
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have engenderedperfect
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have been engenderingperfect progressive
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am engenderingprogressive 1st person singular
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are engenderingprogressive
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engenderingparticiple
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is engenderingprogressive 3rd person singular
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has been engenderingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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engenderssingular 3rd person
Past
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had engenderedperfect
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were engenderingprogressive plural
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had been engenderingperfect progressive
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was engenderingprogressive singular
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engenderedsimple
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engenderedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of engender
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Old French engendrer, from Latin ingenerāre, from in- en- 1 + generāre “to beget” ( see generate)
Explanation
Engender is a fancy way of saying "to make happen," like when you engender the spirit of teamwork and cooperation by encouraging others and doing your share of the group's work. The verb engender has nothing to do with being male or female, though originally, it did mean "beget, procreate." Today, engender means "to produce or bring about." When students come to class prepared, meaning they've read their assignment, this engenders better class discussions, just as mutual trust and the desire to help each other engenders a meaningful friendship.
Vocabulary lists containing engender
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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.
