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maternity leave

American

noun

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

maternity leave British

noun

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

"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

Etymology

Origin of maternity leave

First recorded in 1965–70

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.

The 54-year-old appeared to be enjoying his time standing in for Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is on maternity leave.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

Seddon, who is currently on maternity leave from her job in insurance, also has a three-year-old son and is now getting the funded nursery hours for him.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

Developed by Celeste Hughey, this version puts Palmer’s Samira, a lawyer on maternity leave, at the center.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 8, 2026

"Coming back to the WTA Top 10 one year after returning to competition after maternity leave is something I am incredibly proud of," said Bencic, ranked nine.

From Barron's • Feb. 3, 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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023