paternity

/pəˈtɛrnədi/

/pəˈtʌnɪti/

Other forms: paternities

Use the noun paternity to describe the relationship a father has to his child. You might say, "His paternity is so clear — his daughter has the same red hair that he does!"

Fatherhood and the connection between a father and child is what paternity is all about, but the word most often comes up in legal situations. Attorneys use the word paternity when there is a question about who a child's biological father is or what kind of financial or legal responsibility he has. The Latin root is paternus, "relating to a father," from pater, "father."

Definitions of paternity

1. noun

   the state of being a father
   “tests were conducted to determine paternity”

   type of:

   state

   the way something is with respect to its main attributes
2. noun

   the kinship relation between an offspring and the father
   synonyms: fatherhood

   type of:

   family relationship, kinship, relationship

   (anthropology) relatedness or connection by blood or marriage or adoption
3. noun

   the act of initiating a new idea or theory or writing
   synonyms: authorship

   type of:

   creation, foundation, founding, initiation, innovation, instauration, institution, introduction, origination

   the act of starting something for the first time; introducing something new