Showing results for midwifery. Search instead for midwintry.

midwifery

American

[mid-wif-uh-ree, -wif-ree, mid-wahy-fuh-ree, -wahyf-ree] / mɪdˈwɪf ə ri, -ˈwɪf ri, ˈmɪdˌwaɪ fə ri, -ˌwaɪf ri /

noun

the technique or practice of a midwife.

midwifery British

/ ˈmɪdˌwɪfərɪ /

noun

the art or practice of a midwife; obstetrics

"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 midwifery

First recorded in 1475–85; see origin at midwife, -ery

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.

But it's a profession where men remain very much the exception rather than the rule - there are more than 53,000 women working in midwifery around the UK compared to 194 men.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

Angela Wood, the board's executive director of nursing and midwifery, said they recognised that "witnessing a medical emergency or a patient who is critically unwell can be deeply upsetting".

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

Clinics where she worked have been forced to close and her midwifery license has been suspended.

From Slate • Feb. 21, 2026

The weather improved as the Little Ice Age ended, and techne improved medicine, midwifery and sanitation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

Peregrine was not just the oldest person in our village, she had a special wisdom for healing, midwifery, and ancient magic.

From "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" by Avi

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