PARENTHOOD Definition & Meaning

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parenthood

[ pair-uhnt-hood, par- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the state, position, or relation of a parent.

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Other �y��vlog Forms

�Դǲ�·�貹��ĲԳ�·��Ǵǻ� noun

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of parenthood¹

First recorded in 1855–60; parent + -hood

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Many on the traditional religious right have misgivings about the use of IVF and disagree with embryo screening, while some also oppose gay marriage and parenthood.

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But when the movie reaches an admirable capacity with its ideas about parenthood, authoritarianism, mortality and connection, it falters in bringing everything to the reverberating conclusion its discomfiting first two-thirds merits.

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Some analysts are encouraged by Beijing's seriousness in targeting longer-term challenges like falling birth rates as more young couples opt out of the costs of parenthood.

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Her Instagram posts are aimed at a female audience and relate to issues around parenthood and lifestyle content.

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The fourquel finds the titular hero now a widowed single mother, navigating the challenges of parenthood, work and modern dating.

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More About Parenthood

What does��parenthood mean?

Parenthood is the state of being a parent.

A person enters parenthood when they become a parent. 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.

The terms motherhood and fatherhood are gender-specific versions of parenthood.

The related noun parenting can mean the same thing as parenthood, but it more commonly refers to the process of raising children or the methods and techniques used to do so, as in I didn’t know anything about parenting before I entered parenthood.

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

Where does��parenthood come from?

The first records of the word parenthood come from the 1850s. The suffix -hood indicates a state or condition—in this case, the state of being a parent. It’s used in the same way in words like motherhood, fatherhood, adulthood, and childhood.

Unlike adulthood, the start of parenthood is very definite—it begins when a person becomes a parent. After that, most parents consider parenthood to be a permanent state that lasts even after their children have grown up. In other words, once you become a parent, you never stop being one. Parenthood 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 other forms related to parenthood?

nonparenthood (noun)

What are some synonyms for parenthood?

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

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

How is��parenthood used in real life?

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

Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik Welcome a Baby Girl: Relive Their Journey to Parenthood

— E! News (@enews)

Welcome to parenthood. Your refrigerator is now a graveyard of your kids’ half-finished drinks.

— SpacedMom (@copymama)

a picture of me and my son. because disabled parenthood needs more visibility 💖

— Kratababe93 🌞 (@ingabbjarna)

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True or False?

Parenthood is usually thought to end when a parent’s child is an adult.

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