stillbirth

American  

[stil-burth] / ˈstɪlˌbɜrθ /

noun

1. the birth of a dead child or organism.

2. a fetus dead at birth.

---

stillbirth British  

/ ˈstɪlˌbɜːθ /

noun

1. birth of a dead fetus or baby

2. a stillborn fetus or baby

---

stillbirth Cultural  

1. The birth of a fetus that has died; particularly, birth of a fetus that has died in the uterus at a stage in development when an infant could survive on its own if born healthy.

---

Etymology

Origin of stillbirth

First recorded in 1745–55; still ¹ + birth

Example Sentences

She’s twice turned to nonfiction, first for a 2008 memoir of stillbirth and parenthood, now for “A Long Game: Notes on Writing Fiction.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

The legislation will also fix what the minister called "disparities" in how same-sex and heterosexual couples can register a birth or stillbirth.

From BBC • Dec. 3, 2025

Births, fertility, stillbirth and age-standardised mortality rates are all at their lowest levels since our records began.

From BBC • Aug. 26, 2025

In this case, Moira Akers had a stillbirth at home.

From Slate • Aug. 22, 2025

The baby’s stillbirth might have remained a private tragedy for Marsha and her family had it not been for a nosy neighbor who had long been suspicious of the Colbeys.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson