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midwifery

American

[mid-wif-uh-ree, -wif-ree, mid-wahy-fuh-ree, -wahyf-ree] / mɪdˈwɪf ə ri, -ˈwɪf ri, ˈmɪdˌwaɪ fə ri, -ˌwaɪf ri /

noun

the technique or practice of a midwife.

midwifery British

/ ˈmɪdˌwɪfərɪ /

noun

the art or practice of a midwife; obstetrics

"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 midwifery

First recorded in 1475–85; see origin at midwife, -ery

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.

But it's a profession where men remain very much the exception rather than the rule - there are more than 53,000 women working in midwifery around the UK compared to 194 men.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

Angela Wood, the board's executive director of nursing and midwifery, said they recognised that "witnessing a medical emergency or a patient who is critically unwell can be deeply upsetting".

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

Clinics where she worked have been forced to close and her midwifery license has been suspended.

From Slate • Feb. 21, 2026

She and her partner have since gotten some insurance reimbursement for the OB-GYN costs but are still fighting for reimbursement of the midwifery care.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

She enrolled in a midwifery course at King Edward VII Hospital in Durban that would keep her away from home for several months.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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