Maternity - Definition
maternity
n 1: the state of being pregnant; the period from conception to
birth when a woman carries a developing fetus in her uterus
[syn: pregnancy, gestation, maternity]
2: the kinship relation between an offspring and the mother
[syn: motherhood, maternity]
3: the quality of having or showing the tenderness and warmth
and affection of or befitting a mother; "the girl's
motherliness made her invaluable in caring for the children"
[syn: motherliness, maternalism, maternal quality,
maternity]