'Maternity' definitions:
Definition of 'maternity'
(from WordNet)
noun
The state of being pregnant; the period from conception to birth when a woman carries a developing fetus in her uterus [syn: pregnancy, gestation, maternity]
noun
The kinship relation between an offspring and the mother [syn: motherhood, maternity]
noun
The quality of having or showing the tenderness and warmth and affection of or befitting a mother; "the girl's motherliness made her invaluable in caring for the children" [syn: motherliness, maternalism, maternal quality, maternity]
Definition of 'Maternity'
From: GCIDE
- Maternity \Ma*ter"ni*ty\, n. [F. maternit['e], LL. maternitas.]
- 1. The state of being a mother; motherhood. [1913 Webster]
- 2. The character of a mother; maternal quality; motherliness. [1913 Webster]
- 3. The maternity ward; the maternity department of a hospital. [PJC]
Definition of 'maternity'
From: GCIDE
- maternity \ma*ter"ni*ty\, a.
- 1. Of or pertaining to childbirth or the period during which a woman is pregnant; as, maternity care; a maternity hospital. [PJC]
- 2. For use during pregnancy; as, a maternity outfit. [PJC]
Synonyms of 'maternity'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- affiliation,
- agnation,
- alliance,
- ancestry,
- blood,
- blood relationship,
- brotherhood,
- brothership,
- cognation,
- common ancestry,
- common descent,
- connection,
- consanguinity,
- cousinhood,
- cousinship,
- enation,
- fatherhood,
- filiation,
- fraternity,
- kindred,
- kinship,
- maternalness,
- matrilineage,
- matriliny,
- matrisib,
- matrocliny,
- motherhood,
- motherliness,
- mothership,
- parenthood,
- paternity,
- patrilineage,
- patriliny,
- patrisib,
- patrocliny,
- pregnancy,
- propinquity,
- relation,
- relationship,
- sibship,
- sisterhood,
- sistership,
- ties of blood