engender

Everyday

1. (formal) To engender a feeling or situation is to cause it or make it begin: «Kindness engenders trust». tree →
2. (old use) To engender a child is to father it; this sense is found only in very old books. tree →

In the lessons

A formal, exam-style word for «cause» or «create», used mostly about feelings and attitudes, not about physical things. In essays and reports you might write that a policy «engendered anger» or a teacher «engendered a love of reading». Phrases: «engender trust», «engender fear», «engender respect».

Examples

• Fair rules engender respect in the class. tree →
• His rude jokes engendered a lot of anger. tree →
• The coach's praise engendered confidence in the team. tree →
• Rumours can engender fear in a small town. tree →
• Good teamwork engenders friendship. tree →
• The new law engendered a long debate in Parliament. tree →
• Their blood, a bright ethereal fluid called Ichor, never engendered disease, and, when shed, had the power of producing new life. tree →

Note

Formal; in speech say «cause» or «create». It is followed by an abstract noun (trust, fear, hope), not by a thing like «a cake». Not related to the word «gender» in meaning, though they share an old root meaning «to produce».