Meaning

(now dated) Someone's birth; the place, time and circumstances of a birth..

Definitions by Sense

1. (now dated) Someone's birth; the place, time and circumstances of a birth.
2. (astrology) Someone's birth considered as a means of astrology; a horoscope associated with a person's birth.
3. (also with capital initial) The birth of Jesus.
4. (Christianity, also with capital initial) The festival celebrating the birth of Jesus, Christmas Day; the festival celebrating the birth of the Virgin Mary or the birth of Saint John the Baptist.
5. (also with capital initial) A set of figurines used to create a nativity scene.
6. (figuratively) Origin; founding.
7. Place of origin; place to which a species is native.
8. The quality of being native or innate.

Example Sentences

1483, William Caxton, Prologue to The Golden Legend, The Holbein Society’s Fac-simile Reprints, London: The Holbein Society, 1878, […] me semeth to be a souerayn wele to Incyte & exhorte men & wymmen to kepe them from slouthe & ydlenesse & to lete to be vnderstonden to suche peple as been not lettered the natyuytees, lyues, the passyons, the myracles and the dethe of the holy saynts […]

I have served him from the hour of my nativity to this instant, and have nothing at his hands for my service but blows.

And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.

The way to be happy is to live according to nature, in obedience to that universal and unalterable law with which every heart is originally impressed; which is not written on it by precept, but engraven by destiny; not instilled by education, but infused at our nativity.

Now when the greetings were done and the strains of the lutes and recorders sighed and lost themselves in the shadowy vault of the roof, the cup-bearers did fill great gems made in form of cups with ancient wine, and the Demons caroused to Lord Juss deep draughts in honour of this day of his nativity.

You ſtarres that raignd at my natiuitie, / whoſe influence hath alotted death and hel, / Now draw vp Fauſtus like a foggy miſt, / Into the intrailes of yon labring cloude, / That when you vomite foorth into the ayre, / My limbes may iſſue from your ſmoaky mouthes, / So that my ſoule may but aſcend to heauen: […]

Word Forms

• nativities

Synonyms for nativity

Antonyms for nativity

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When Should You Use Nativity?

Use nativity when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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