maternity

maternity
/meuh terr"ni tee/, n.
1. the state of being a mother; motherhood.
2. motherly quality; motherliness.
3. a section of a hospital devoted to the care of women at childbirth and of their newborn infants.
adj.
4. of, pertaining to, or for the period in which a woman is pregnant or has just given birth to a child.
5. for mothers during and after childbirth or for the care of their newborn babies: a maternity hospital.
6. for wear by pregnant women: maternity clothes.
[1605-15; < ML maternitas, equiv. to L matern(us) (see MATERNAL) + -itas -ITY]

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • maternity — [mə tʉr′nə tē] n. pl. maternities [Fr maternité < ML maternitas < L maternus, MATERNAL] 1. the state of being a mother; motherhood 2. the character or qualities of a mother; motherliness 3. a maternity ward in a hospital adj. 1. for a woman …   English World dictionary

  • 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] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Maternity — Episodio de House Un bebé recién nacido vomita. Solo House piensa que es una infección intrahospitalaria. Título Maternity …   Wikipedia Español

  • maternity — noun fertility, motherhood, motherliness, parenthood, propagation, reproduction Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 maternity n. The condition of motherhood. See …   Law dictionary

  • maternity — ► NOUN 1) motherhood. 2) (before another noun ) relating to the period during pregnancy and shortly after childbirth: maternity clothes …   English terms dictionary

  • maternity — (n.) 1610s, quality or condition of being a mother, from Fr. maternité motherhood (15c.), from M.L. maternitatem (nom. maternitas) motherhood, from L. maternus (see MATERNAL (Cf. maternal)). Used from 1893 as a quasi adjective in reference to… …   Etymology dictionary

  • maternity — [n] period of being pregnant with child gestation, maternology, motherhood, parenthood; concepts 316,817 Ant. paternity …   New thesaurus

  • maternity — [[t]mətɜ͟ː(r)nɪti[/t]] 1) ADJ: ADJ n Maternity is used to describe things relating to the help and medical care given to a woman when she is pregnant and when she gives birth. Your job will be kept open for your return after maternity leave...… …   English dictionary

  • maternity — Motherhood. [see maternal] * * * ma·ter·ni·ty mə tər nət ē n, pl ties a hospital facility designed for the care of women before and during childbirth and for the care of newborn babies maternity adj 1) being or providing care during and… …   Medical dictionary

  • maternity — noun a) The state of being a mother; motherhood. b) The state of being pregnant; pregnancy. Syn: maternity ward Ant: paternity …   Wiktionary

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