paternity

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

• IPA^(key): /pəˈtɜː(ɹ)nɪti/

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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.

• paternity leave
• paternity suit
• paternity test

• affiliation
• maternity