dictionary help| paternity | medical dictionary |
1. The relation of a father to his child; fathership; fatherhood; family headship; as, the divine paternity. "The world, while it had scarcity of people, underwent no other dominion than paternity and eldership." (Sir W. Raleigh)
2. Derivation or descent from a father; male parentage; as, the paternity of a child.
3. Origin; authorship. "The paternity of these novels was . . . Disputed." (Sir W. Scott)
Origin: L. Paternitas: cf. F. Paternite. See Paternal.
(01 Mar 1998)
paternal behaviour, paternal deprivation, paternal exposure < Prev | Next > paternoster, Paterson-Brown-Kelly syndrome
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