pregnancy
Americannoun
-
pregnancies
plural
noun
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the state or condition of being pregnant
-
the period from conception to childbirth
-
The condition of carrying developing offspring within the body.
-
The time period during which this condition exists; gestation.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of pregnancy
First recorded in 1520–30; pregn(ant) 1 + -ancy
Explanation
Pregnancy is the state of being pregnant, the time a woman grows a baby in her belly. For humans, pregnancy lasts about nine months, during which time the mother might want a chocolate chip and pickle sandwich. Get her one. Before a mother bear gives birth to a cub, or a mother cat has kittens, she goes through pregnancy. In humans, pregnancy is a time to prepare for a new baby while the mother-to-be does things like take special vitamins and choose a doctor or midwife to assist with the upcoming birth. Bears and cats just go for it. Pregnancy comes from the Latin praegnans, "with child" or "before birth," from prae-, "before," and gnasci, "be born."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A cleft lip and palate is a condition which is present from birth, external when the upper lip, roof of the mouth, or both, fail to fuse properly during pregnancy.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
By observing the retinal organoids over several months, the scientists could follow changes that would otherwise be extremely difficult to study during pregnancy.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 31, 2026
Reality star Savannah Chrisley on Tuesday announced her pregnancy and engagement to her mystery fiancé, finally revealing that his name is Jason after months of secrecy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ first guidelines on GLP-1s during pregnancy and lactation, released Friday, take a softer stance on the issue of using the drugs while nursing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
Her pregnancy had elevated her, so she could sit idly listening to the radiogram, no longer Mama’s help but now the woman who would give birth to Mama’s grandchild.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
A woman who faked two pregnancies and falsely claimed that a former star of “The Bachelor” was the father of one of the children has been sentenced to 30 days in jail.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026
Dr. Caroline Apovian, director of the Mass General Brigham Integrated Weight Center in Boston, says the problem with postpartum weight gain is the pounds can pile on after multiple pregnancies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
Given the exorbitant cost, I doubt we’ll see a wave of pregnancies later in life.
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026
Even people who have healthy pregnancies can encounter serious challenges after delivery.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026
Pregnancy is long, offspring per pregnancy are few, and there are long breaks between pregnancies.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
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