See Also: paternity(medicine)
paternity(dictionary)
Paternity(law)
paternity(dictionary)
paternity leave(dictionary)
Paternity test(health)
Paternity Leave(money)
Affidavit Of Paternity(law)
paternity suit(dictionary)
PATERNITY, The state or condition of a father(law)

paternity (iou)



paternity noun. Also (as a title) Paternity. LME.
[Old & mod. French paternite or late Latin paternitas, from paternus: see PATERNAL, -ITY.]
The quality or condition of being a father; fatherhood. LME.
b. Government (as) by a father; patriarchy. E17-E18.
With possess. adjective (as his paternity etc.): a title of respect given to an ecclesiastical father. Formerly also, an ecclesiastical father, esp. a bishop. LME.
Paternal origin or descent; fig. source, origin, authorship. E19.
Comb.: paternity test a blood test to determine the possibility of a particular individual being the father of a particular child.