fatherhood
Americannoun
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the state of being a father.
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fathers collectively.
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the qualities or spirit of a father.
noun
Usage
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.
Etymology
Origin of fatherhood
1350–1400; late Middle English faderhode; replacing Middle English faderheed. See father, -hood
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.
He adopted a kinder, more family-friendly public persona while also embracing fatherhood - he has three children via surrogacy.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
This exploration of the biology of fathers is the most vivid feature of “Dad Brain,” offering a glimpse into our vast evolutionary history and a portal onto today’s multifaceted fatherhood.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
He spends chapters meditating on trauma and fatherhood, on periods of feeling spiritually adrift, on coming to love a “majestic” faith tradition while remaining connected to the rowdy evangelicals of his childhood.
From Slate ● Jun. 18, 2026
Singleton adds that in the chaos of fatherhood, friendships occasionally fall to the wayside.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
There are even a number of present-day human cultures in which collective fatherhood is practised, as for example among the Barí Indians.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
