noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/məˈtɜːnɪti/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/məˈtɜɹnəti/
General-American:[-ɾi]
rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)nɪti
CMU ARPABET:M AH0 T ER1 N IH0 T IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The state of being a mother; motherhood.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The state of being pregnant; pregnancy.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A ward or department in a hospital in which babies are born.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
She's working in maternity this month.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
the quality of having or showing the tenderness and warmth and affection of or befitting a mother
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the girl's motherliness made her invaluable in caring for the children
