noun pl. midwives
a person (now, esp., a specially trained nurse) whose work is helping women in childbirth
Origin:
ME midwyf < mid, with < OE (< Gmc mithi < IE *meti- < base *me- > mid, Ger mit, Gr meta) + wif, woman (see wife): basic sense “woman with, woman assisting”
transitive verb midwifed or midwived, midwifing or midwiving
- to assist as a midwife in the birth of (a child)
- to help bring about or bring into being: to midwife a resolution to a conflict