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Definition of "midwife" []

  • A person, usually a woman, who is trained to assist women in childbirth. Also called regionally granny, granny woman. (noun)
  • One who assists in or takes a part in bringing about a result: "In the Renaissance, artists and writers start to serve as midwives of fame” ( Carlin Romano). (noun)
  • To assist in the birth of (a baby). (verb-transitive)
  • To assist in bringing forth or about: "Washington's efforts to midwife a Mideast settlement” ( Newsweek). (verb-transitive)

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 "midwife" in a sentence
  • "Mr. MO ROCCA (Contributor, "CBS Sunday Morning"): Get your baby delivered by a midwife from the cast of "Star Trek.""
  • "After the midwife is bitten by a rattle snake, she asks Dr. Quinn to look after her three children."
  • "When I called my midwife, she reassured me and said I should expect contractions to start soon."