paternity: Meaning and Definition of

pa•ter•ni•ty

Pronunciation: (pu-tûr'ni-tē), [key]
— n.
  1. the state of being a father; fatherhood.
  2. derivation or acquirement from a father.
  3. origin or authorship.
—adj.
  1. noting or pertaining to a legal dispute in which an unwed mother accuses a man of being the father of her child: a paternity suit.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
See also: