noun · formal
paternity
UK/pəˈtɜː.nə.ti/US/pəˈtɜr.nə.ti/pa·TER·ni·ty
the state of being a father; sometimes used in legal contexts to refer to proof or recognition of fatherhood
Examples
“The court established paternity after the DNA test.”
“Many countries now offer paid paternity leave to encourage father involvement.”
“Paternity can bring both legal rights and responsibilities.”
Band 8 sentence
“Expanding paternity leave policies acknowledges that early father involvement has measurable benefits for child development and family wellbeing.”
Collocations
- paternity leave
- establish paternity
Word family
Common mistakes
He took paternity for two weeks.→He took paternity leave for two weeks.
They confirmed his paternity test.→They confirmed his paternity / The paternity test confirmed him as the father.
Say it for a higher band
5fatherhood→6paternal role→7+paternity
Synonyms
fatherhood
Easily confused
maternity
“She took maternity leave after giving birth to her daughter.”
Related words
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In Family & Relationships
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