begets

Beget is a transitive verb meaning to cause to exist or to procreate; to father or generate. In modern English, beget is used primarily in formal or literary contexts and takes a direct object that is produced or generated by the subject, whether a child or a non-biological result. The word can also be used metaphorically to indicate that one action or condition gives rise to another.

Grammatical notes: The present tense third-person singular is begets; the simple past is begat (also begot in some forms); the past participle is begotten. The present participle is begetting. The verb appears most commonly in historical or biblical language, but it remains valid in contemporary prose for a formal or emphatic effect.

Usage examples: The policy begets new opportunities for innovation. A patient, nurturing environment begets trust and cooperation. In biblical or classical texts, the form begat is frequently used, as in "Adam begat Seth."

Etymology: Beget derives from Old English begietan, with roots in the Germanic language family. The be- prefix conveys a sense of causation or generation, attaching to a verb related to gaining or obtaining in older forms.

Related terms include begetter (one who begets), begetting (the act of begetting), and begotten (the past participle or adjective form describing something that has been produced or fathered). The word remains part of a formal register and is often chosen for its precise, weighty connotation of origin or creation.