paternity
Americannoun
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the state of being a father; fatherhood.
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derivation or acquirement from a father.
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origin or authorship.
adjective
noun
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the fact or state of being a father
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( as modifier )
a paternity suit was filed against the man
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descent or derivation from a father
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authorship or origin
the paternity of the theory is disputed
Etymology
Origin of paternity
1400–50; late Middle English paternite < Late Latin paternitās. See paternal, -ity
Explanation
Use the noun paternity to describe the relationship a father has to his child. You might say, "His paternity is so clear — his daughter has the same red hair that he does!" Fatherhood and the connection between a father and child is what paternity is all about, but the word most often comes up in legal situations. Attorneys use the word paternity when there is a question about who a child's biological father is or what kind of financial or legal responsibility he has. The Latin root is paternus, "relating to a father," from pater, "father."
Vocabulary lists containing paternity
It's All in the Family
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Not Your Father's Word List: Pater, Patr
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UCPS 6th Grade Roots List #8
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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.
The implication was that I’d criticized the vice president for taking a day of paternity leave.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
He was out of the lineup for the series opener against the Orioles, but the Dodgers did not opt to put him on the paternity list, temporarily playing down a player instead.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 20, 2026
It is a share in a paternity older than the world.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
In the Covid summer of 2021, Stokes stepped in for one Test while Root was on paternity leave.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
With Eugene Torre’s assistance, an Icelandic lawyer—Thordur Bogason—was hired to represent the child, and soon after the attorney petitioned the court for a DNA test in an attempt to prove Bobby’s paternity.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
