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

Using this extensive dataset, scientists investigated how the population's age structure, male behavior, and paternity patterns have changed over time.

From Science Daily • Mar. 5, 2026

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 • Jan. 22, 2026

Thanks to the set up, Amin was able to take two paternity leaves of three weeks each in 2024 and 2025.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 18, 2025

Shut up in the isolation of paternity, Lefty Stephanides concentrated on finding a safer way to make a living.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

• ancestry
• birth
• descent
• lineage