paternity leave
Americannoun
-
paternity leaves
plural
noun
-
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
-
a period of paid or unpaid absence from work granted to a man by his employer immediately after the birth of his child
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of paternity leave
First recorded in 1970–75
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.
OpenAI said he was scheduled for two months of paternity leave beginning sometime in October, the filing said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
Some employers offer extra parental leave to their workers, but most people earn less when on maternity or paternity leave, which affects how much leave many fathers take.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
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
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
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 ● Jan. 7, 2026
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
