paternity

Everyday

1. (formal, law) Being the father of a child. tree →
2. (adult life) «Paternity leave» is time off work that a father gets when his baby is born. tree →
3. (formal) Where an idea or work came from; who started it. tree →

In the lessons

In adult life dads take paternity leave to look after a new baby; in law a «paternity test» shows who a child's father is, sometimes in custody cases. In stories it may be a secret about who someone's father is. Phrases: «paternity leave», «paternity test», «paternity pay».

Examples

• Dad took two weeks of paternity leave when my sister was born. tree →
• A paternity test can show who a baby's father is. tree →
• His workplace gives good paternity pay. tree →
• The court looked at the question of paternity. tree →
• Mum had maternity leave and Dad had paternity leave. tree →
• In the story, the boy's paternity was a mystery. tree →

Note

Uncountable. Formal; in everyday speech people say «being a dad». Related: paternal (fatherly, or on the father's side: «paternal grandmother»). Opposite on the mother's side: maternity, maternal.