# beget

> English word · Verb · IPA /biˈɡɛt/ · frequency rank #59,888

## Definitions
1. To produce or bring forth (a child); to be a parent of; to father or sire.
2. To cause; to produce; to bring forth.
3. To get or obtain.
4. To happen to; befall.

## Etymology
From Middle English begeten [influenced by Old Norse geta ("to get, to guess")], from Old English beġietan (“to get”), from Proto-Germanic *bigetaną (“to find, seize”), equivalent to be- + get. Cognate with Old Saxon bigetan (“to find, seize”), Old High German bigezan (“to gain, achieve, win, procure”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/beget