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# maternity

noun (maternity, uncountable); adjective (maternity — before a noun)

«maternity» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Maternity is the state of being a mother. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maternity/#m1)
2. As an adjective it means to do with having a baby: maternity clothes, a maternity ward. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maternity/#m2)
3. (work) Maternity leave is time off work that a mother gets before and after her baby is born, often with maternity pay. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maternity/#m3)

### In the lessons

In everyday adult life a teacher may go on maternity leave and a supply teacher takes the class. Hospitals have maternity wards where babies are born. Phrases: «maternity leave», «maternity ward», «maternity pay», «maternity clothes». The father's version is «paternity».

### Examples

- Our teacher is going on maternity leave next month. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maternity/#x1)
- My little brother was born in the maternity ward. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maternity/#x2)
- Mum wore maternity clothes before the baby came. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maternity/#x3)
- Some mothers get maternity pay while they look after their babies. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maternity/#x4)
- The maternity unit is on the second floor. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maternity/#x5)
- When the baby is born, the dad may take paternity leave. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maternity/#x6)
- She returned to work after a year of maternity leave. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maternity/#x7)

### Note

Mostly used before another noun (maternity leave). Related: maternal (motherly), mother. Opposite for fathers: paternity. Formal; children usually say «having a baby».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «maternity» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maternity/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«maternity» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/maternity.html) on Mova free.