maternity
nounattested in dialogue
- United Kingdom//məˈtɜːnɪti//
- United States//məˈtɜɹnəti//
- United States/[-ɾi]/
The state of being a mother; motherhood.
noun
- 1
The state of being a mother; motherhood.
- 2
The state of being pregnant; pregnancy.
- 3
A ward or department in a hospital in which babies are born.
She's working in maternity this month.
Etymology
From French maternité, from Latin māternitās.
Forms
- plural
- maternities
mater · A meninx; the dura mater, arachnoid mater, or pia mater of…material · Of, relating to, or consisting of matter, especially physical.maternal · Of or pertaining to a mother; having the characteristics of a…
maternity · The state of being a mother; motherhood.
mates · Friendly; having a friendship (with).Mates · A surname from Hungarian or Catalan.math · Arithmetic calculations; (see do the math).