stillborn

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled still-born

US /ˈstɪlˌbɔrn/ UK /ˈstɪlˌbɔːn/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
born dead, or failing from the outset

The reform was stillborn, blocked before it ever reached a vote.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · born dead, or failing from... lifeless unsuccessful abortive failed fruitless

Opposites

successful thriving viable

Word family

Related forms still bornstillbirth

Etymology

A compound of 'still' (Old English 'stille', motionless, here in the sense of dead) and 'born' (past participle of 'bear', Old English 'beran').

stille Old English beran Old English

View etymology graph ->

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Describing Qualities

# stillborn

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ˈstɪlˌbɔrn
**IPA (UK):** ˈstɪlˌbɔːn

## Meanings
1. born dead, or failing from the outset

## Examples
- The reform was stillborn, blocked before it ever reached a vote.

## Synonyms
- lifeless
- unsuccessful
- abortive
- failed
- fruitless

## Antonyms
- successful
- thriving
- viable

## Related Forms
- still
- born
- stillbirth

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: stille
- Root: beran

## Etymology
A compound of 'still' (Old English 'stille', motionless, here in the sense of dead) and 'born' (past participle of 'bear', Old English 'beran').

## AI Etymology
Stillborn is a compound of 'still' (Old English 'stille', motionless, here in the sense of dead) and 'born' (past participle of 'bear', Old English 'beran'). Important recorded forms include stille (Old English) and beran (Old English). Morphologically, the word preserves a built structure whose named elements carry the historical sense into English. The semantic development is already visible in the history: an older concrete or specialized use was extended into the modern meaning rather than replaced by a separate origin. In current use it covers born dead, or failing from the outset. The wider family includes related words such as still, born, and stillbirth.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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stillborn

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