n. pl. pa·ter·ni·ties 1. The state of being a father; fatherhood. 2. Descent on a father's side; paternal descent. 3. Authorship; origin. adj. Relating to or involving the identification of a person's biological father: a paternity suit. [Middle English paternite, from Old French, from Late Latin paternitās, from Latin paternus, paternal; see PATERNAL.] |
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