| Title | maternity | ||
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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary ma·ter·ni·ty
(plural -ties) DATE 1611 1. a. the quality or state of being a mother : motherhood b. the qualities of a mother : motherliness 2. a hospital facility designed for the care of women before and during childbirth and for the care of newborn babies
adjective DATE 1893 1. designed for wear during pregnancy a maternity dress 2. effective for the period close to and including childbirth maternity leave English Etymology maternity 1611, "quality or condition of being a mother," from Fr. maternité"motherhood," from M.L. maternitatem (nom. maternitas), from L.maternus (see maternal). Used from 1893 in ref. to garments designed for pregnant women. Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 maternity ma·ter·nity / mE5tE:nEti; NAmE -5tE:rn- / noun[U] the state of being or becoming a mother 母亲身分；怀孕: maternity clothes (= clothes for women who are pregnant) 孕妇装 a maternity ward / hospital (= one where women go to give birth to their babies) 产科病房；妇产医院 Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged ma·ter·ni·ty I. \məˈtərnəd.ē, -tə̄n-, -təin-, -nətē, -i\ noun (-es) Usage: often attributive Etymology: French maternité, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin maternitat-, maternitas quality or state of being a mother church, from Latin maternus of a mother, maternal + -itat-, -itas -ity 1. a. (1) : the quality or state of being a mother : motherhood (2) : the quality or state of being pregnant < successive maternities > b. : the qualities belonging to or associated with motherhood : motherliness , maternalism 2. : a hospital or a section of a hospital designed for the care of women immediately before and during childbirth and for the care of newborn babies 3. : a usually loose or adjustable garment worn during pregnancy II. adjective Etymology: maternity, noun 1. : designed for wear during pregnancy < a maternity dress > 2. : effective for the period close to and including childbirth < maternity leave > |
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