Dictionary

maternity en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /məˈtɜɹnəti/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio
• [-ɾi] (General-American)
• /məˈtɜːnɪti/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From French maternité, from Latin māternitās.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The state of being a mother; motherhood.
2. (countable, uncountable) The state of being pregnant; pregnancy.
3. (countable, uncountable) A ward or department in a hospital in which babies are born.
   • She's working in maternity this month.

Forms

Antonyms

paternity

Deriveds

maternity hospital · maternitywear · maternity dress · co-maternity · maternity leave · grandmaternity · prematernity · maternity wear · maternity pillow · maternity test · maternity jeans · maternity bra · nonmaternity

Synonyms

maternity ward (ward)

Translations (32)

nl materniteit (state of being a mother; motherhood) · bg неонатоло́гия (ward or department in a hospital in which babies are born) · pl porodówka (ward or department in a hospital in which babies are born) · kk аналық (state of being a mother; motherhood) · bg бременност (state of being pregnant; pregnancy) · hi गर्भावस्था (state of being pregnant; pregnancy) · ru материнство (state of being a mother; motherhood) · pl ciąża (state of being pregnant; pregnancy) · pdt Muttaschoft (state of being a mother; motherhood) · ta மகப்பேறு (state of being pregnant; pregnancy) · eo patrineco (state of being a mother; motherhood) · ta தாய்மை (state of being pregnant; pregnancy) · fi raskaus (state of being pregnant; pregnancy) · ms korban laki-laki (ward or department in a hospital in which babies are born) · el μαιευτήριο (ward or department in a hospital in which babies are born) · fi äitiys (state of being a mother; motherhood) · bg майчинство (state of being a mother; motherhood) · nrf matèrnité (state of being a mother; motherhood) · el εγκυμοσύνη (state of being pregnant; pregnancy) · pl macierzyństwo (state of being a mother; motherhood) · ru беременность (state of being pregnant; pregnancy) · hi मातृत्व (state of being a mother; motherhood) · ta தாய்மை (state of being a mother; motherhood) · bg роди́лното (ward or department in a hospital in which babies are born) · el μητρότητα (state of being a mother; motherhood) · fi synnytysosasto (ward or department in a hospital in which babies are born) · cy mamolaeth (state of being a mother; motherhood) · crh analıq (state of being a mother; motherhood) · cs porodnické oddělení (ward or department in a hospital in which babies are born) · fi synnytyssairaala (ward or department in a hospital in which babies are born) · nl moederschap (state of being a mother; motherhood) · nrf matèrnité (state of being pregnant; pregnancy)