The words born and borne often cause confusion not only because they sound alike and have similar spellings but also because they both originate from the same word bear. Despite these similarities, they actually have different meanings. This post will help you understand this difference between these terms and enable you to use them accurately in your writing.
The word born is the past participle form of the word bear with the particular meaning “to give birth to a child.”
The Last Known Person Born in the 19th Century Dies in Japan at 117
Slate MagazineAdam Levine Almost Pooped His Pants When Dusty Rose Was Born
E! OnlineWhen Kathy was born, the nurses told Joan over and over: “Don’t look at your baby…
New York Post
Born may also function as an adjective which means “brought forth by or as if by birth,” “deriving or resulting from,” or “having from birth specified qualities.”
Born, Not Made: Hire Lawyers On Potential, Not Achievement
Above The LawBeware the Slippery Slope in the DOJ-DHS Report on Foreign-Born Terrorists
The Lawfare InstituteBorn To Run: The World’s Most Valuable Vintage Motorcycles
Forbes
On the other hand, the term borne is also a past participle of the word bear and is used as an adjective meaning “transported or transmitted by.”
Protecting from Bug Borne Diseases
CNY CentralHome for the holidays: Pet reindeer survives deadly tick-borne illness before Christmas
Rochester Democrat and ChronicleAll mosquito-borne diseases on upswing in Tamil Nadu, malaria up 18%
Times of India
Now that we have discussed the differences between the words born and borne, you should be able to distinguish between these two and use them more effectively in your sentences. Keep in mind that born is related to birth while borne is related to carrying or transporting.
