noun · neutral
motherhood
UK/ˈmʌðəhʊd/US/ˈmʌðərˌhʊd/MOTH·er·hood
Band 5-6speakingtask2
the state of being a mother
Examples
“She took time off work to enjoy early motherhood.”
“Motherhood can be both rewarding and exhausting.”
“Discussions about motherhood often include work–life balance.”
Band 8 sentence
“Public debates about motherhood increasingly consider structural supports rather than blaming individuals.”
Collocations
- early motherhood
- the joys/strains of motherhood
- motherhood and work
Word family
mother nounmotherly adjectivemotherhood noun
Common mistakes
I enjoy my motherhood→I enjoy being a mother
motherhoods→motherhood
Say it for a higher band
5having a baby→6being a mother→7+motherhood
Synonyms
being a mother
Easily confused
mothering
“Her style of mothering is very hands-on.”
Related words
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In -hood
Learn it with its set