fatherhood

[ fah-ther-hood ]

/ ˈfɑ ðərˌhʊd /

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noun

the state of being a father.

fathers collectively.

the qualities or spirit of a father.

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Origin of fatherhood

1350–1400; late Middle English faderhode; replacing Middle English faderheed.See father, -hood

Words nearby fatherhood

father, Father Christmas, father confessor, father figure, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do, fatherhood, father-in-law, fatherland, father lasher, fatherless, fatherly

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

MORE ABOUT FATHERHOOD

What does fatherhood mean?

Fatherhood is the state of being a father.

A person enters fatherhood when they become a father. 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.

Fatherhood is a gender-specific version of the term parenthood.

Less commonly, fatherhood can refer to all fathers collectively, as in You won’t find a better dad in all of fatherhood.

Example: People who have not experienced fatherhood probably shouldn’t be so quick to criticize how dads parent their children.

Where does fatherhood come from?

The first records of the word fatherhood come from around 1400. The suffix -hood indicates a state or condition—in this case, the state of being a father. It’s used in the same way in words like motherhood, parenthood, adulthood, and childhood.

Unlike adulthood, the start of fatherhood is very definite—it begins when a person becomes a father. After that, most fathers consider fatherhood to be a permanent state that lasts even after their children have grown up. In other words, once you become a father, you never stop being one. Fatherhood is usually considered very challenging due to all the difficulties of raising children, but it’s usually also considered very rewarding. It’s the toughest job you’ll ever love, as the saying goes.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for fatherhood?

paternity

What are some words that share a root or word element with fatherhood?

What are some words that often get used in discussing fatherhood?

How is fatherhood used in real life?

The word fatherhood is often associated with the many challenges that it involves.

The joys and challenges of black fatherhood – through the lens of NBA dads – via @ESPN App https://t.co/oVHvDdEHkx

— Wynne (@wynnetj55) November 18, 2020

Seeing your brothers/sisters enter fatherhood/motherhood is by far one the greatest gifts of life 🎁💙#OMM

— #LakersIn4 (@MrLee_02) January 2, 2019

I’m grateful for adoption and the gift of Fatherhood. #givethanks pic.twitter.com/Dk20ZdHcFh

— Camren Applegate (@CamrenApplegate) November 20, 2020

Try using fatherhood!

True or False?

Fatherhood is usually thought to end when a father’s child is an adult.

How to use fatherhood in a sentence

As a sociologist and Canadian studies scholar, I am interested in how social policies affect fatherhood in different countries.
Why have Canadian dads pulled ahead of American fathers in parenting?|Kevin Shafer|July 27, 2021|Quartz
The report authors argue that a “new kind of fatherhood” — one premised on love, teaching and direct child care — has “already replaced the father-as-provider, separate spheres” model of parenting in the United States.
Discover the Science of Fatherhood|Sean Culligan|June 18, 2021|Ozy
All these men’s books about fatherhood say, “I wish there was more room to go to therapy and talk about my feelings.”
How to be a feminist dad|Amy Joyce|June 17, 2021|Washington Post
It’s how we reinvent fatherhood for a changing cultural ethos.
How to be a feminist dad|Amy Joyce|June 17, 2021|Washington Post

In our new study, we wanted to focus on sitcom dads’ interactions with their children, given how fatherhood has changed in American culture.
Why Are Sitcom Dads Still So Inept?|LGBTQ-Editor|June 17, 2021|No Straight News
Indeed, study after study affirms the benefits of involved fatherhood for women and children.
How Good Dads Can Change the World|Gary Barker, PhD, Michael Kaufman|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In short, fatherhood gets little attention in policy debates.
How Good Dads Can Change the World|Gary Barker, PhD, Michael Kaufman|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He is the author of a bestselling book titled simply Fatherhood.
I Warned You About Bill Cosby in 2007|Mark Ebner|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Depictions of fatherhood on the flatscreen have also made notable progress recently.
Is 2014 ‘Year of the Dad’?|Andy Hinds|June 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Beyond the realm of pop culture, fatherhood has also become an area of interest to researchers and policymakers.
Is 2014 ‘Year of the Dad’?|Andy Hinds|June 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Nor do they ignore fatherhood, as we saw, in affairs of inheritance of local office and totemic rites.
The Secret of the Totem|Andrew Lang
And this was all the funeral oration delivered over him who had been for Eugene the type and embodiment of fatherhood.
The Best of the World's Classics, Restricted to Prose, Vol. VII (of X)--Continental Europe I|Various
For it was not as a father he loved her, though he had played a little at fatherhood in the beginning.
A Little Girl in Old Salem|Amanda Minnie Douglas
Such a hope renders feeble, sinful men not altogether unworthy of Gods Fatherhood.
The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews|Thomas Charles Edwards
He beat off—fought against—that hideous fatherhood of Sally's that he could not bear, that image that he felt might drive him mad.
Somehow Good|William de Morgan

British Dictionary definitions for fatherhood

fatherhood

/ (ˈfɑːðəˌhʊd) /

noun

the state or responsibility of being a father

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

fatherhood

Origin of fatherhood

Words nearby fatherhood

MORE ABOUT FATHERHOOD

What does fatherhood mean?

Where does fatherhood come from?

Did you know ... ?

How is fatherhood used in real life?

Try using fatherhood!

Words related to fatherhood

How to use fatherhood in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for fatherhood