what does begotten mean

“Begotten” is an old-fashioned word that basically means “brought into existence by a parent,” especially “fathered” or “born of.”

Core meaning

• In everyday English, begotten is the past participle of beget , which means to father, to produce, or to bring a child into existence.

• More broadly, it can mean something has been brought into existence or caused to exist , not always literally as a child.

Example:

“He is the king’s begotten son” = He is the son that the king actually fathered (his real, born child).

Biblical and religious use

You’ll often see “begotten” in older Bible translations, especially in phrases like “only begotten Son.”

In that context:

• It connects to the idea of begetting as a parent does a child—“to bear, bring forth, or beget.”

• It is used for:
  • Ordinary birth (parents and children).

* A **special relationship** between God the Father and Jesus, emphasizing Jesus as God’s unique Son, not just one more created being.

Some Bible discussions also link “only begotten” to the Greek word monogenes , which can mean “only” or “one of a kind,” highlighting uniqueness as well as origin.

How common is it today?

• In modern English, begotten sounds archaic or very formal.

• People usually use more common words instead, like:
  • “born” (for children)
  • “created,” “produced,” or “caused” (for ideas, things, or effects).

So if you’re writing or speaking today, you’ll almost never need begotten unless you’re:

• Quoting older religious texts
• Writing in a deliberately old-fashioned or poetic style

TL;DR:
“Begotten” means “brought into existence,” especially “fathered” or “born as a child,” and in older Bible language it marks a special, unique sonship (like “only begotten Son”).

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.