midwife

1 of 2

noun

mid·​wife ˈmid-ˌwīf How to pronounce midwife (audio)
1
: a person who assists women in childbirth compare nurse-midwife
2
: one that helps to produce or bring forth something

midwife

2 of 2

verb

midwifed ˈmid-ˌwīft How to pronounce midwife (audio) or midwived ˈmid-ˌwīvd How to pronounce midwife (audio) ; midwifing ˈmid-ˌwī-fiŋ How to pronounce midwife (audio) or midwiving ˈmid-ˌwī-viŋ How to pronounce midwife (audio)

transitive verb

: to assist in producing, bringing forth, or bringing about

Examples of midwife in a Sentence

Noun a trained and certified midwife
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
This is one of the reasons why seeing a healthcare provider, such as an obstetric-gynecologist (ob-gyn) or midwife, for regular prenatal care is important. Corey Whelan, Verywell Health, 1 Dec. 2024 His father, Leopoldo, worked in a sugar mill, and his mother, Olivia, was a midwife. Victor Mather, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2024
Verb
No, but Diesel has been midwifing this franchise for nearly as long. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 16 June 2024 Other execs who midwifed Saturday Night Live (according to the oral history Live From New York) include manager Bernie Brillstein, former NBC president Fred Silverman, and former NBC chairman and Mary Tyler Moore husband Grant Tinker. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for midwife 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English midwif, from mid with (from Old English) + wif woman

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1638, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of midwife was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near midwife

Cite this Entry

“Midwife.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/midwife. Accessed 8 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

midwife

noun
mid·​wife
ˈmid-ˌwīf
: a woman who helps other women in childbirth

Medical Definition

midwife

noun
mid·​wife ˈmid-ˌwīf How to pronounce midwife (audio)
: a person who assists women in childbirth see nurse-midwife

More from Merriam-Webster on midwife

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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