paternity

[pə tʉr′nə tē]

Search Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

the state of being a father; fatherhood
male parentage; paternal origin
origin or authorship in general

Origin: OFr paternité < LL paternitas < L paternus, paternal < pater, father

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Search The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language

noun pl. pa·ter·ni·ties

The state of being a father; fatherhood.
Descent on a father's side; paternal descent.
Authorship; origin.

adjective

of or relating to a lawsuit brought by a woman attempting to establish that a particular man is the father of her child and so must provide the child with financial support: paternity case; paternity suit.

Origin: Middle English paternite, from Old French, from Late Latin paternitās, from Latin paternus, paternal; see paternal.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.