Meaning & use
begetter
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Meanings
nouncountableliteraryformal
A person who causes something to exist or brings it about, especially a father or originator.
Grammar: Countable; usually used with of: the begetter of the plan.
Patterns
- begetter of something
- the begetter of an idea
He was the begetter of the whole scheme, though others took the credit.
In the poem, the sun is called the begetter of all life.
The committee honored her as the begetter of the new law.
nouncountableliteraryformal
A father; a male parent.
Grammar: Countable; often used in formal or religious contexts.
Patterns
- begetter of someone
He was the begetter of three sons.
The old man spoke of his begetter with respect.
Word forms
| plural | begetters |
|---|
Common combinations
- the begetter of
- She is often called the begetter of the modern movement.
- true begetter
- He was the true begetter of the idea, not just a helper.
- begetter of a plan
- The begetter of the plan remained anonymous.
- begetter of a child
- In legal terms, the begetter of the child must provide support.
- acknowledged begetter
- He was the acknowledged begetter of the reform.
Synonyms and how they differ
- creator
- Creator is more general and can refer to a person who makes something artistic or original.
- originator
- Originator emphasizes being the first to think of something, not necessarily a father.
- father
- Father is the everyday word for a male parent; begetter is literary or formal.
Word family
Commonly confused: begetter or beggar?
begetter vs beggar
Beggar means a very poor person; begetter means a creator or father. They sound similar but are unrelated.
Practice
The scientist was hailed as the ___ of the new theory.
Choose one answer.
Begetter fits because it means the person who originated the theory. 'Beggar' means a poor person, 'beginner' means a novice, and 'beget' is a verb, not a noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “begetter”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.