parenthood

[pair-uhnt-hood, par-]

noun

1. the state, position, or relation of a parent.

Other Word Forms

• nonparenthood noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of parenthood¹

First recorded in 1855–60; parent + -hood

Example Sentences

“We are beyond excited to embark on this beautiful next chapter of parenthood in both peace and privacy,” the couple said, adding, “And then there were 3.”

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Despite his insistence that marriage and parenthood should be nearly universal, he talks about his own family with a sense of distance.

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Unaffordable housing, rising costs and gruelling working hours have led more and more young people to reject marriage or parenthood, or both.

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He agreed that some slaveowners committed “abuses,” but then he noted our society hasn’t outlawed marriage or parenthood, institutions that have also had abuses.

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"We need to watch how young people's attitudes toward marriage and parenthood are changing."

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When To Use

What does parenthood mean?

Parenthood is the state of being a parent.A person enters parenthood when they become a parent. This most commonly happens when their child is born, but it can also happen through adoption or by marrying or becoming a partner to someone with children.The terms motherhood and fatherhood are gender-specific versions of parenthood.The related noun parenting can mean the same thing as parenthood, but it more commonly refers to the process of raising children or the methods and techniques used to do so, as in I didn’t know anything about parenting before I entered parenthood.Example: People who have not experienced parenthood probably shouldn’t be so quick to criticize how other people parent their children.