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.
Fatherhood helped McVay balance that “kind of maniacal” sense that also makes him a great coach, Rams president Kevin Demoff said.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2024
Fatherhood, especially of young children with all their needs, is in.
From Salon • Sep. 1, 2024
"Fatherhood may be protective for Black men,"Parker said.
From Science Daily • May 28, 2024
The Fatherhood Institute says the changes "fail to address the reality of hard-working families' financial challenges".
From BBC • Mar. 7, 2024
The conditions imposed perplexed men, and the revelation of God’s moral character and Fatherhood was not sufficiently clear to remove distrust.
From The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews by Edwards, Thomas Charles
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.
