maternity leave

American  

noun

maternity leaves plural

1. a leave of absence for an expectant or new mother for the birth and care of the baby.

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maternity leave British  

noun

1. a period of paid absence from work, in Britain currently six months, to which a woman is legally entitled during the months immediately before and after childbirth

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• maternity leaves
  plural

Etymology

Origin of maternity leave

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

He also infuriated colleagues in the coalition government, the British press reported, proposing a stream of unconventional ideas: scrapping maternity leave, abolishing job centers, even buying cloud-bursting technology so Britain would have more sunshine.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

There would be no maternity leave from the business she runs alone, and no second income.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

But the Nottingham trust did not know how many more midwives it needed because it consistently miscalculated the number on each shift by including those off sick or on maternity leave.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

And on Tuesday all eyes were certainly on whether Vance could repeat Rubio's relaxed performance as a stand-in for White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is on maternity leave.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

It was a good workplace, allowing her to take six weeks of maternity leave after Lexie’s birth, then Trip’s, then Moody’s.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng