cause to exist or bring about

engender

verb|/ɪnˈdʒen.dər/

To cause or give rise to

Examples

In a meeting

Transparent communication engenders trust between leadership and employees.

Over coffee

His generosity really engenders loyalty among his friends.

Why this word

cause

Engender implies giving rise to or bringing into existence, often intangibles like feelings or conditions, while cause is more mechanical and direct

create

Engender suggests natural generation or development over time, while create implies more deliberate making

produce

Engender emphasizes origin and natural emergence, especially of abstract things, while produce is more concrete and manufacturing-oriented

Usage tip

Use when something produces or causes something else, especially feelings or conditions. More sophisticated than 'create' or 'cause.'

Etymology

Old French 'engendrer', from Latin 'ingenerare' (in- in + generare to beget), meaning to produce

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