verb (used with object), begot or (Archaic) begat; begotten or begot; begetting.
1.
(especially of a male parent) to procreate or generate (offspring).
2.
to cause; produce as an effect:
a belief that power begets power.
Origin
before 1000;Middle Englishbegeten (see be-, get); replacing Middle Englishbiyeten,Old Englishbegetan; cognate with Gothicbigitan,Old High Germanbigezzan
Old English begietan; related to Old Saxon bigetan, Old High German pigezzan, Gothic bigitan to find; see be-, get
Word Origin and History for beget
v.
Old English begietan "to get by effort, find, acquire, attain, seize" (class V strong verb, past tense begeat, past participle begeaton), from be- + get (v.). Sense of "to procreate" is from c.1200. Related to Old High German pigezzan, Gothic bigitan "to get, obtain." Related: Begot; begotten.