motherhood
Americannoun
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the state of being a mother; maternity.
-
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.
During an appearance on “Today with Jenna & Sheinelle,” Woods, 29, told hosts Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones that motherhood is on her mind—even if she isn’t ready to pursue it just yet.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026
Lauren Meadows, whose videos about motherhood have earned her 256,000 followers on TikTok, has posted several about medical debt she incurred from baby deliveries and hospital stays.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
Gautam believes malnutrition is driven by early marriage and motherhood, with some girls becoming mothers at 16 or 17, when their bodies are still developing.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
Both “WandaVision” and “Agatha” were meditations on grief, trauma and motherhood, by way of sitcoms and magical escape rooms, respectively.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
I was a healthy young woman and I was going to have this baby, and I would deal with motherhood when it came.
From "Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice" by Phillip Hoose
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
