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Definition of paternity

paternity

/pəˈtɜːrnɪti/
pa · ter · ni · ty
Adverb:paternally
•
Plural:paternities
•
Adjective:paternal
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paternity Lexical Profile

paternity Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The state or legal status of being someone's father; fatherhood.

Example

"The family court ordered a DNA test to establish the child's paternity."

2

Paternal descent, lineage, or origin; derivation or authorship from a founder or creator.

Example

"Historians debated the intellectual paternity of the constitutional reform movement."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for paternity

• Nearby Words

paternalism
paternalistic
paternally
paternity
path
pathbreaker
pathbreaking

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in Middle English from Old French paternité, from Late Latin paternitās ('fatherhood'), derived from Latin pater ('father').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Paternity. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/paternity
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