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.
It is often presented as a way for women to help preserve their fertility and, in some cases, delay motherhood.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
I want to see Elizabeth James laughing on the set of a photo shoot, with her daughter helping to style the campaign—where motherhood doesn’t end when work begins, and the beauty is the blur.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 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
In this light, posturing as sympathetic is an empty gesture, meant to encourage women into motherhood without actually helping them survive it intact.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026
It’s the consequence: motherhood in a foreign land.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
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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.
