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.
Albert II abdicated as king of the Belgians in 2013 as the paternity issue became a royal scandal.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
A DNA test proved his paternity, and he married Bakley in a small ceremony.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
Although there is statutory maternity and paternity leave - which guarantees time off and partial income compensation - not everyone takes it.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 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
The academicians watched my mother as they played with me, to see how she took their games, their dandling of her beloved son, their demonstration of amiable paternity; and her smile warmed us all.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson
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.
