maternity
noun
ma·ter·ni·ty
| \ mə-ˈtər-nə-tē
\
\
plural maternities
Definition of maternity
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: the quality or state of being a mother : motherhood
b
: the qualities of a mother : motherliness
2
: a hospital facility designed for the care of women before and during childbirth and for the care of newborn babies
maternity
adjectiveDefinition of maternity (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: being or providing care during and immediately before and after childbirth
maternity care a maternity unit
2
: designed for wear during pregnancy
a maternity dress
3
: effective for the period close to and including childbirth
maternity leave
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Examples of maternity in a Sentence
Noun
she had such maternity at such a young age that all her classmates went to her for comfortRecent Examples on the Web: Noun
The condition was likely to force her to start her maternity leave early. — Kate Cox, Ars Technica, "Google has a problem with pregnant workers, employee memo alleges," 5 Aug. 2019 Although Meghan has been on maternity leave following the birth of her son -- whose full name is Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor -- she guest-edited the September issue of British Vogue, which came out on Friday. — Amy Woodyatt, CNN, "Prince Harry pays tribute to 'amazing wife' Meghan on her birthday," 4 Aug. 2019 Meghan, who is on maternity leave from her royal duties after the birth of her son Archie, had worked on the project for seven months. — Washington Post, "Meghan guest edits UK Vogue, focusing on trailblazing women," 29 July 2019 Women’s movements in Sudan won women the right to vote, the right to equal pay, and the right to maternity leave – often decades before other countries in the region. — Ryan Lenora Brown, The Christian Science Monitor, "‘A women’s revolution’: Why women are leading calls for change in Sudan," 12 Mar. 2019 Allyson Felix, one of the track and field stars who criticized Nike for its lack of maternity leave policies, will be sponsored by the Gap Inc. brand—with 100% protection that her deal will not be compromised by any future pregnancies. — Fortune, "Busting Another Boardroom Myth: The Broadsheet," 31 July 2019 Women gain entry by using a smartphone app or calling the maternity unit. — John Laidler, BostonGlobe.com, "Newton-Wellesley hospital installs ‘pod’ for breast-feeding women," 31 July 2019 Near the end of the book, after Mallon is traced to a typhoid outbreak at the Sloane Hospital for Women, a maternity hospital in Manhattan, Bourdain adopts a harder edge toward his subject. — Tim Carman, Washington Post, "Overlooked among his many books, Anthony Bourdain’s ‘Typhoid Mary’ is a revelation in 2019," 30 July 2019 And while Johnson’s record of sexism is lengthy, Swinson has earned a reputation as an active feminist campaigner, notably promoting the right to maternity leave in parliament. — Parker Richards, The New Republic, "The Woman Who Could Beat Boris Johnson," 29 July 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
The world’s largest maternity clothes seller has brought on Berkeley Research Group LLC, the people said. — Lillian Rizzo, WSJ, "Destination Maternity Hires Adviser Amid Retail Turmoil," 23 Aug. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'maternity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for maternity
maternity
noun
English Language Learners Definition of maternity
(Entry 1 of 2)
: the state of being a mother
maternity
adjectiveEnglish Language Learners Definition of maternity (Entry 2 of 2)
: designed to be worn by a woman who is pregnant
: relating to the time when a woman gives birth to a baby
—used to refer to an area in a hospital where women who are giving birth to babies are cared for
See the full definition for maternity in the English Language Learners Dictionary
maternity
noun
ma·ter·ni·ty
| \ mə-ˈtər-nə-tē
\
\
Kids Definition of maternity
: the state of being a mother
maternity
noun
ma·ter·ni·ty
| \ mə-ˈtər-nət-ē
\
\
plural maternities
Medical Definition of maternity
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a hospital facility designed for the care of women before and during childbirth and for the care of newborn babies
maternity
adjectiveMedical Definition of maternity (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: being or providing care during and immediately before and after childbirth
maternity care a maternity unit
2
: designed for wear during pregnancy
maternity clothes
3
: effective for the period close to and including childbirth
maternity leave