motherhood
Americannoun
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the state of being a mother; maternity.
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the qualities or spirit of a mother.
-
mothers collectively.
adjective
noun
-
the state of being a mother
-
the qualities characteristic of a mother
Usage
What does motherhood mean? Motherhood is the state of being a mother. A person enters motherhood when they become a mother. 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. Motherhood is a gender-specific version of the term parenthood. Less commonly, motherhood can refer to all mothers collectively, as in You won’t find a better mom in all of motherhood. Example: People who have not experienced motherhood probably shouldn’t be so quick to criticize how moms parent their children.
Etymology
Origin of motherhood
First recorded in 1375–1425; from the late Middle English word moderhed. See mother 1, -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.
In 2024, Fifa made changes to further protect female footballers and coaches during and after pregnancy, as well as in non-biological motherhood such as adoption.
From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026
Angel City captain Sarah Gorden struggled to juggle motherhood early in her soccer career.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 22, 2026
A big story heading into the weekend was the rise of Alison Lee, who held the lead after Friday and is balancing motherhood with her chase for her first major championship.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
I get what she’s doing here: Part of motherhood is trusting that if you do it right, your child will have no problem leaving the nest.
From Salon • Jun. 4, 2026
I had not even the instincts of a mother cat I wanted to flee both Elsinore and the unknown fate of motherhood, though such escape seemed impossible, except by my death.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
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.
