pregnant Hear it!

pregnant Definition

preg·nant (preg′nənt)

adjective

  1. having (an) offspring developing in the uterus; that has conceived; with young or with child
  2. mentally fertile; prolific of ideas; inventive
  3. productive of results; fruitful a pregnant cause
  4. full of meaning, significance, etc. a pregnant silence
  5. filled (with); abounding

Etymology: ME preignant < L pregnans (gen. pregnantis), heavy with young < prae-, before (see pre-) + base of OL gnasci, to be born (see genus)

pregnant Related Forms
preg′·nantly adverb
pregnant Synonyms

pregnant

modif.

  1. With child

    gestating, gravid, fruitful, enceinte (French), with child, big with child, parturient, hopeful, anticipating*, in a family way*, expecting*.

  2. Meaningful

    significant, consequential, weighty; see important 1.

pregnant Usage Examples

Preposition: at

  • time: Since Miss America was pregnant at the time, the child she was carrying was affected.

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • get: It only takes a boy to have sex or get a girl pregnant.

Modifies a noun

  • woman: Pregnant women with epilepsy should be treated with special care.
  • ewe: It is illegal to transport heavily pregnant ewes, or new-born lambs.
  • smoker: College graduate plan move into the all pregnant smokers.
  • mare: In outbreaks of EVA in pregnant mares, up to 50 % of mares may abort.
  • girlfriend: She shared the scaffold with Samuel Drory who had been convicted of murdering his pregnant girlfriend.
  • teenager: Does another family member have a need for a home - possibly sooner than expected - a pregnant teenager?

Modifying Another Word

  • heavily: Kate Jackson is beaming at the crowd, heavily pregnant, of course, with her husband Tim Miller's second child.
  • visibly: I've also been a visibly pregnant woman and had a drink.
  • either: Action Homeless 220 Project offers supported housing for single homeless teenage parents who are either pregnant or have a pre-school child.
  • especially: In adults, especially pregnant women, it may cause severe disease.
  • already: I have found information on vaccines if you are already pregnant but cannot find the answer to these questions.
  • even: Can be used safely on all animals, even pregnant or lactating females.

Used with adjective complement

  • become: Fewer than 2 % become pregnant a second time, compared with a national average of 16.5 % .
  • fall: Then she fell pregnant with baby number three which spurred her on.
  • get: Teachers told to ' take turns ' at getting pregnant in Malaysia.

Preposition: with

  • twin: Isaac and Rebecca prayed and in due course Rebecca became pregnant with twins.
  • possibility: What was a vast and pointless waste has suddenly revealed itself to be pregnant with possibility.
  • couple: The veteran guitarist's 28-year-old wife, Melia McEnery, is seven months pregnant with the couple 's third child.
pregnant Quotes

To go to school and finish my schooling without getting pregnant.

—Anonymous

Having a little inflation is like being a little pregnant.

—Henderson, Leon

Like finding oneself pregnant and trying to fall in love as quicklyas possible.

—Acheson, Dean Gooderham

And chiefly thou O spirit, that does prefer Before all temples th'upright heart and pure, Instruct me, for thou know'st; thou from the first Wast present, and with mighty wings outspread Dove-like sat'st brooding on the vast abyss And mad'st it pregnant: what in me is dark Illumine, what is low raise and support; That to the highth of this great argument I mayassert Eternal Providence, And justify the ways of God to men. 580

—Milton,John

   The Parliament of England cannot have on earth so strong pillars and pregnant supporters of all their were always told there is one golden rule: no hanky panky in theTardis.

—Baillie, Robert

A non-Communist premier with Communist ministers would be like a woman trying to stay half pregnant.

—Bohlen, Charles Eustis