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.

See Examples For:

midwifery

She added: "Let's put this debate to bed now and get on with what we all want: providing world class, safe equitable midwifery care."

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026

Multiple African and Asian midwifery experts have been denied visas for a major international conference in Portugal, threatening progress on saving millions of babies' lives, organisers and invitees said Friday.

From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026

In 2018, Sue Brydon, a senior midwife at the Queen's Medical Centre sent a letter to the director of midwifery and the trust's then chairman, signed by more than 50 midwifery staff.

From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026

Research consistently linked adequate midwifery staffing to safer births, earlier detection of complications and better outcomes for mothers and babies.

From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2026

No doctor in Boston knew more than she about midwifery and children’s diseases.

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes

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