noun
- The state of being pregnant; the period from conception to birth when a woman carries a developing fetus in her uterus.
- The kinship relation between an offspring and the mother.
- synonyms: motherhood
- The quality of having or showing the tenderness and warmth and affection of or befitting a mother.
- usage: "the girl's motherliness made her invaluable in caring for the children"
- synonyms: motherliness, maternalism, maternal quality
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
| APA | WordNet. (2010). maternity. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/maternity/definitions/1293974 |
| Chicago | WordNet. 2010. "maternity" http://smartdefine.org/maternity/definitions/1293974 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | WordNet 2010, maternity, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/maternity/definitions/1293974>. |
| MLA | WordNet. "maternity" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/maternity/definitions/1293974> |