English Explanatory Dictionary

paternity

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Fatherhood, the state or quality of being a father.
  2. Parental descent from a father.
  3. Legal acknowledgement of a man's fatherhood of a child.
  4. Authorship.

Pronunciation

/pəˈtɜːnɪti/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-paternity.wav /pəˈtɜɹnəti/ [-ɾi]

Word forms

paternity paternities

Etymology

From Middle French paternité, from Old French, from Latin paternitās (“paternity”), from paternus (“of or pertaining to a father, paternal”) + -itās, from pater (“father”).

Related words

affiliation maternity

Derived words

grandpaternity heteropaternity nonpaternity paternity leave paternity suit paternity test primipaternity
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