the kinship relation between an offspring and the mother
"The maternity bond between a mother and her child is often celebrated during family gatherings."
the quality of having or showing the tenderness and warmth and affection of or befitting a mother
"the girl's motherliness made her invaluable in caring for the children"
The state of being a mother; motherhood.
"After months of planning, she felt a profound sense of joy at her new maternity following the birth of her daughter."
In plain English: Maternity is the state of being pregnant and giving birth to children.
"The maternity ward was busy with new babies being born all day long."
Usage: Use this noun to refer specifically to the period during pregnancy and immediately after childbirth, rather than general parenting or fatherhood. It is often paired with adjectives like leave or clothes to describe benefits related to that specific time frame.
The word maternity comes from the Old French term maternité, which was borrowed directly from the Latin māternitās. It entered English to describe the state or condition of being a mother.