MOTHERHOOD Definition & Meaning

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motherhood

[ muhth-er-hood ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the state of being a mother; maternity.
the qualities or spirit of a mother.
mothers collectively.

adjective

having or relating to an inherent worthiness, justness, or goodness that is obvious or unarguable:
legislation pushed through on a motherhood basis.

motherhood

/ ˈ��ʌðəˌ��ʊ�� /

noun

the state of being a mother
the qualities characteristic of a mother

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of motherhood¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; from the late Middle English word moderhed. See mother ¹, -hood

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Williams enters the newest chapter of her motherhood journey as she stars in FX’s “Dying for Sex.”

From

"My joys and fears in pregnancy and motherhood are the same as those experienced by millions of other women around the world," she added.

From

These memories – of new hobbies and relationships, of motherhood and family, of loneliness, of interrupted treatments, of joy and grief – offer a snapshot of what people across the UK went through five years ago.

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She said the adverts she got "suddenly started changing within weeks to lots of baby photos and other things - ads about babies and pregnancy and motherhood".

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“That was wild,” she said of transitioning to motherhood during the shoot, adding that the cast “really clung to each other because we had experienced birth, we had experienced loss.”

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More About Motherhood

What does��motherhood mean?

Motherhood is the state of being a mother.

A person enters motherhood when they become a mother. This most commonly happens when their child is born, but it can also happen through adoption or by marrying or becoming a partner to someone with children.

Motherhood is a gender-specific version of the term parenthood.

Less commonly, motherhood can refer to all mothers collectively, as in You won’t find a better mom in all of motherhood.��

Example: People who have not experienced motherhood probably shouldn’t be so quick to criticize how moms parent their children.

Where does��motherhood come from?

The first records of the word motherhood come from around 1400. The suffix -hood indicates a state or condition—in this case, the state of being a mother. It’s used in the same way in words like fatherhood, parenthood, adulthood, and childhood.

Unlike adulthood, the start of motherhood is very definite—it begins when a person becomes a mother. After that, most mothers consider motherhood to be a permanent state that lasts even after their children have grown up. In other words, once you become a mother, you never stop being one. Motherhood is usually considered very challenging due to all the difficulties of raising children, but it’s usually also considered very rewarding. It’s the toughest job you’ll ever love, as the saying goes.

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What are some synonyms for motherhood?

maternity

What are some words that share a root or word element with motherhood?��

What are some words that often get used in discussing motherhood?

How is��motherhood used in real life?

The word motherhood is often associated with the many challenges that it involves.

isn't just about giving birth, it is the inherent instinct to love unconditionally, to care for, to protect at all cost, to nurture and to watch that little child grow and blossom, then to enjoy the unexplained joy that comes along with it.

— Ironn Sky (@IronnSky)

From the : Adele opens up about the challenges of motherhood, melancholy, and mega-stardom

— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair)

I'm already learning some of the challenges of motherhood. It's a full time job for sure. But I'm happy to have the responsibility! 👶🏽💕

— RAVEN ELYSE (@RavenElyseTV)

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True or False?

Motherhood is usually thought to end when a mother’s child is an adult.

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