# maternity

> English word · Noun · IPA /məˈtɜː(ɹ)nɪti/ · frequency rank #11,914

## Definitions
1. The state of being a mother; motherhood.
2. The state of being pregnant; pregnancy.
3. A ward or department in a hospital in which babies are born.

## Etymology
From French maternité, from Latin māternitās.

## Easily confused with
- **maturity** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/maternity-vs-maturity)
- **modernity** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/maternity-vs-modernity)

## Common misspellings (14)
`amternity`, `maetrnity`, `matenrity`, `materinty`, `maternitty`, `maternityy`, `materniyt`, `maternnity`, `materntiy`, `materrnity`, `matrenity`, `matternity`, `mmaternity`, `mtaernity`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/maternity