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maternità

maternity

noun mah-ter-nee-TAH Rare
People & Society Family

Origin: Latin maternitas, from mater (mother).

Also means

motherhood

Usage Note

Maternità is an invariable noun (like all Italian nouns ending in an accented vowel) — its plural is also maternità. It covers both the state of being a mother and the maternity ward in a hospital (reparto maternità). Congedo di maternità is 'maternity leave'. Do not confuse with materna (adjective: maternal, as in lingua materna, mother tongue).

Examples

"Ha preso sei mesi di congedo di maternità."

Natural Translation

She took six months of maternity leave.

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