First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1midwife
noun mid·wife \ˈmid-ˌwīf\
: a person (usually a woman) who helps a woman when she is giving birth to a child
Full Definition of MIDWIFE
1
: a person who assists women in childbirth — compare nurse-midwife
2
: one that helps to produce or bring forth something
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Origin of MIDWIFE
Middle English midwif, from mid with (from Old English) + wif woman
Rhymes with MIDWIFE
alewife, case knife, clasp knife, drawknife, farmwife, fishwife, flick-knife, folklife, good life, goodwife, half-life, highlife, housewife, jackknife, loosestrife, lowlife, midlife, nightlife, oldwife, penknife, pro-life, real-life, shelf life, steak knife, still life, true-life, wakerife, whole-life, wildlife
2midwife
verb
mid·wifed \-ˌwīft\ or mid·wived \-ˌwīvd\ mid·wif·ing \-ˌwī-fiŋ\ or mid·wiv·ing \-ˌwī-viŋ\
Definition of MIDWIFE
transitive verb
: to assist in producing, bringing forth, or bringing about
First Known Use of MIDWIFE
1638
MIDWIFE Defined for Kids
midwife
noun mid·wife \ˈmid-ˌwīf\
plural mid·wives
Definition of MIDWIFE for Kids
: a woman who helps other women during childbirth
Medical Dictionary
midwife
noun mid·wife \ˈmid-ˌwīf\
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