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Minnaloushe Posted 12 years ago
Vocabulary

Beget


1. (old use, for example in the Bible )to become the father of a child
The above quote is from my dictionary about the definition for beget.

So is it wrong to apply to a woman?

For example, Mary beget Tom.

Thanks!
  

Top answer

I don't recall ever hearing it used of a woman, but Oxford Dictionaries says "Typically of a man, sometimes of a man and a woman". Unless you are deliberately trying to impart an archaic flavour, you should not use the word at all in this literal sense. It would sound odd in modern English.

— GPY

  • I don't recall ever hearing it used of a woman, but Oxford Dictionaries says "Typically of a man, sometimes of a man and a woman".
  • Unless you are deliberately trying to impart an archaic flavour, you should not use the word at all in this literal sense.
  • It would sound odd in modern English.
  • By the way, grammatically your example would have to be "Mary begets/begot/begat Tom".
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1 Answers
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I don't recall ever hearing it used of a woman, but Oxford Dictionaries says "Typically of a man, sometimes of a man and a woman". Unless you are deliberately trying to impart an archaic flavour, you should not use the word at all in this literal sense. It would sound odd in modern English. By the way, grammatically your example would have to be "Mary begets/begot/begat Tom".
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