Maternity is defined as the state of being a mother.
(noun)An example of maternity is when a woman has children.
The definition of maternity is something related to giving birth.
(adjective)An example of maternity used as an adjective is in the phrase "maternity clothes," which means clothes made for pregnant women.
See maternity in Webster's New World College Dictionary
noun pl. maternities
Origin: Fr maternité < ML maternitas < L maternus, maternal
adjective
See maternity in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun pl. ma·ter·ni·ties
Origin:
Origin: French maternité
Origin: , from Medieval Latin māternitās
Origin: , from Latin māternus, maternal; see maternal
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