Standard Lemma guide

only-begotten

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adj

Meaning 1

Being the only child of one’s parent (especially one’s father)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

One of the attributes of Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God the Father.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: Christianity, lifestyle, religion, theology

Examples

  • Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed And [we believe] in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English oonlybigeten, equivalent to only + begotten. Compare also Middle English only geten, oonly geten (“only-begotten”, literally “only-gotten”) and Middle English onbygoten, oon be-gotyn, one bygeten, oon bigetun, oon bigeten (“only-begotten”, literally “one-begotten”). Calque of Latin ūnigenitus, itself a calque of Ancient Greek μονογενής (monogenḗs).

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: միածին (miacin) — being the only child of one’s parent
  • Ancient Greek: μονογενής (monogenḗs) — being the only child of one’s parent
  • Icelandic: eingetinn — being the only child of one’s parent
  • Italian: unigenito — being the only child of one’s parent
  • Japanese: ひとりっこ — being the only child of one’s parent
  • Latin: ūnigenitus — being the only child of one’s parent
  • Portuguese: unigênito — being the only child of one’s parent
  • Portuguese: unigénito — being the only child of one’s parent
  • Spanish: unigénito — being the only child of one’s parent
  • Swedish: enfödd — being the only child of one’s parent