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Birth vs Gestation - What's the difference?

birth | gestation |

As nouns the difference between birth and gestation

is that birth is (uncountable) the process of childbearing; the beginning of life while gestation is the period of time during which an infant animal or human physically develops inside the mother's body until it is born.

As an adjective birth

is a familial relationship established by childbirth.

As a verb birth

is (dated|or|regional) to bear or give birth to (a child).

birth

English

Noun

  • (uncountable) The process of childbearing; the beginning of life.
  • (countable) An instance of childbirth.
    • Intersex babies account for roughly one per cent of all births .
  • (countable) A beginning or start; a point of origin.
    • the birth of an empire
  • (uncountable) The circumstances of one's background, ancestry, or upbringing.
    • He was of noble birth , but fortune had not favored him.
  • * Prescott
    • elected without reference to birth , but solely for qualifications
  • That which is born.
  • * Ben Jonson
    • Poets are far rarer births than kings.
  • * Addison
    • Others hatch their eggs and tend the birth till it is able to shift for itself.

    • Antonyms

    * (beginning of life) death

    References

    Adjective

    (-)
  • A familial relationship established by childbirth.
    • Her birth father left when she was a baby; she was raised by her mother and stepfather.

    Synonyms

    * biological, blood, consanguineous

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (dated, or, regional) To bear or give birth to (a child).
  • * 1939 ,
    • "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies!"
  • (figuratively) To produce, give rise to.
  • * 2006 , R. Bruce Hull, Infinite Nature , University of Chicago Press, ISBN 9780226359441, page 156:
    • Biological evolution created a human mind that enabled cultural evolution, which now outpaces and outclasses the force that birthed it.

    Usage notes

    * The term is much more common, especially in literal use.

    Related terms

    * bear * born

    Derived terms

    * accident of birth * birth control * birthdate * birthday * birthing * birth mother * birth pangs * birth parent * birth pill * birthplace * birthrate * birthright * birthstone * birth tourism * breech birth * give birth * noble birth * virgin birth 1000 English basic words ----

    gestation

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The period of time during which an infant animal or human physically develops inside the mother's body until it is born.
  • The process of development of a plan or idea.
  • * 1900 , Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams'', ''Avon Books , (translated by James Strachey) pg. 149:
    • It was to a conversation with another friend who had for many years been familiar with all my writings during the period of their gestation , just as I had been with his.

    Synonyms

    * pregnancy

    External links

    * *