paternity leave

American  

noun

paternity leaves plural

1. a leave of absence from a job for a father to care for a new baby.

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paternity leave British  

noun

1. a period of paid absence from work, in the UK currently two weeks, to which a man is legally entitled immediately after the birth of his child

2. a period of paid or unpaid absence from work granted to a man by his employer immediately after the birth of his child

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• paternity leaves
  plural

Etymology

Origin of paternity leave

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

paternity leave

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

The vice president has said he doesn’t plan to take formal paternity leave, but expects to organize his schedule so he can spend time with his new son.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

In the Covid summer of 2021, Stokes stepped in for one Test while Root was on paternity leave.

From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026

Notably, studies have shown that paid paternity leave is associated with a reduced risk of maternal postpartum health complications and an increased rate of infants receiving their necessary vaccines on time.

From Salon ● May 17, 2026

Some assume that a generous maternity or paternity leave policy benefits an infant, because it allows a parent to be at home for more time during their child's crucial first year of development.

From BBC ● Dec. 31, 2025