maternity leave

American

noun

a leave of absence for an expectant or new mother for the birth and care of the baby.

maternity leave British

noun

a period of paid absence from work, in Britain currently six months, to which a woman is legally entitled during the months immediately before and after childbirth

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of maternity leave

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It includes ranking protection during pregnancy, postpartum support with a return to play and paid maternity leave.

From Barron's

Bencic said competing again at the highest level after maternity leave is something she "incredibly proud of".

From BBC

Jenni was married and on maternity leave after having her second child with Swan when he told her about his affair with Robyn.

From BBC

"It's always been my dream to come back after maternity leave to make the top 10. Always been my goal," she said.

From Barron's

The registered nurse, who is on maternity leave after having her son Albie, was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm - a swollen blood vessel - after suffering extreme headaches.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023