Dictionary.com Thesaurus.com

stillbirth

American  
[stil-burth] / ˈstɪlˌbɜrθ /

noun

  1. the birth of a dead child or organism.

  2. a fetus dead at birth.

stillbirth British  
/ ˈstɪlˌbɜːθ /

noun

  1. birth of a dead fetus or baby

  2. a stillborn fetus or baby

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
stillbirth Cultural  

  1. The birth of a fetus that has died; particularly, birth of a fetus that has died in the uterus at a stage in development when an infant could survive on its own if born healthy.

Etymology

Origin of stillbirth

First recorded in 1745–55; still 1 + birth

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She’s twice turned to nonfiction, first for a 2008 memoir of stillbirth and parenthood, now for “A Long Game: Notes on Writing Fiction.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

A couple who founded a charity to support parents who have lost babies through stillbirth, miscarriage or neonatal death have been recognised in the New Year Honours list.

From BBC • Dec. 29, 2025

The legislation will also fix what the minister called "disparities" in how same-sex and heterosexual couples can register a birth or stillbirth.

From BBC • Dec. 3, 2025

In this case, Moira Akers had a stillbirth at home.

From Slate • Aug. 22, 2025

Her testimony was exposed as unreliable by the State's own expert witness, Dr. Dennis McNally, an obstetrician/gynecologist who examined Mrs. Colbey two weeks after the stillbirth.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.