paternity

American  

[puh-tur-ni-tee] / pəˈtɜr nɪ ti /

noun

1. the state of being a father; fatherhood.

2. derivation or acquirement from a father.

3. origin or authorship.

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adjective

1. noting or pertaining to a legal dispute in which an unwed mother accuses a man of being the father of her child.

   a paternity suit.

paternity British  

/ pəˈtɜːnɪtɪ /

noun

1. 1. the fact or state of being a father

   2. ( as modifier )

      a paternity suit was filed against the man

2. descent or derivation from a father

3. authorship or origin

   the paternity of the theory is disputed

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Etymology

Origin of paternity

1400–50; late Middle English paternite < Late Latin paternitās. See paternal, -ity

Example Sentences

In non-human animals, researchers have instead turned to long-term observations of social groups and genetic paternity testing to understand reproductive patterns.

From Science Daily

The Employment Rights Act will give workers access to sick pay and paternity leave from the first day on the job and introduce new protections for pregnant women and new mothers.

From BBC

Access to childcare can be highly dependent on your postcode, campaigners say, and parental leave pay fluctuates wildly, depending on the generosity of employers, while others rely solely on statutory maternity and paternity leave pay.

From BBC

The legislation will give workers access to sick pay and paternity leave from the first day on the job and contains new protections for pregnant women and new mothers.

From BBC

“We actually do a DNA test on the infant to determine paternity because we don’t know.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ancestry
• birth
• descent
• lineage