paternity

English

Etymology

From Middle French paternité, from Old French, from Latin paternitās (“paternity”), from paternus (“of or pertaining to a father, paternal”) + -itās, from pater (“father”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pəˈtɜː(ɹ)nɪti/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

Noun

paternity (countable and uncountable, plural paternities)

1. Fatherhood, the state or quality of being a father.
2. Parental descent from a father.
3. (law) Legal acknowledgement of a man's fatherhood of a child.
4. (figuratively) Authorship.

   The author asserted her right to paternity on the book's copyright page.

Related terms

• paternity leave
• paternity suit
• paternity test

Translations

fatherhood — see fatherhood

parental descent from father's side

• Latin: paternitās f

See also

• affiliation
• maternity