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Definition of "maternity" []

  • The state of being a mother; motherhood. (noun)
  • The feelings or characteristics associated with being a mother; motherliness. (noun)
  • A maternity ward. (noun)
  • Relating to or effective during pregnancy, childbirth, or the first months of motherhood: a maternity dress; maternity leave. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "maternity" in a sentence
  • ""Nicci used what she called a maternity spell on me.""
  • "Infertile couples say they protect themselves by hiding most, if not all, Facebook posts from pregnant friends who can't resist hitting the site's "Share" button to show off, say, the latest in maternity ware."
  • "The vast majority of child geniuses are boys so no time “wasted” in maternity wards for them!"