# paternity

/pəˈtɝnɪti/ (US) · /pətˈɜːnɪti/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/paternity
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. the state of being a father

noun · CEFR B2

the condition of being a father, especially the time when a man cares for his new baby.

For teachers: the state or quality of being a father; fatherhood.

- He decided to take two weeks of paternity leave to help with the newborn.
- The company's updated policy offers generous paternity leave, encouraging fathers to take an active role in early childcare.

### 2. legal or biological origin

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

the fact of who a person's father is, often proven by a medical test.

For teachers: the legal or biological identification of a man as the father of a specific child.

- The court ordered a paternity test to settle the dispute.
- Establishing paternity was a crucial step in the legal proceedings to ensure the child received proper financial support.

### 3. origin of an idea

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Formal

the source or creator of an idea, book, or invention.

For teachers: the origin or authorship of a work, idea, or project.

- Historians still debate the paternity of this famous political theory.
- The paternity of the manuscript remained obscure until carbon dating confirmed it was written in the fourteenth century.

## Examples

- He had to take a paternity test to prove he was the father.
- The company offers two weeks of paid paternity leave to all new fathers to help them bond with their infants.
- Establishing legal paternity is a critical step in ensuring that the child has access to inheritance rights and medical history from the paternal side of the family.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.