pregnancy

noun

preg·​nan·​cy ˈpreg-nən(t)-sē 

plural pregnancies

1

: the quality of being pregnant (as in meaning)

2

: the condition of being pregnant : gestation

3

: an instance of being pregnant

Synonyms of pregnancy

• gestation

Examples of pregnancy in a Sentence

an elephant's pregnancy can last almost a year

Recent Examples on the Web

Pregnant moms and those with newborn babies in River Rouge, Inkster, Highland Park, Hamtramck, Melvindale and Dearborn can now apply to the program Rx Kids to receive cash payments during pregnancy and for the first six months of the child’s life. —Beki San Martin, Freep.com, 10 Nov. 2025

Scientists estimate that hydranencephaly occurs in one in 5,000 to one in 10,000 pregnancies, and the condition is usually fatal within the first year of life, per the Cleveland Clinic. —Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025

Pregnant women are traditionally excluded from drug trials, so there is little known about the effects of many common medications on pregnancies. —Veronique Greenwood, Time, 10 Nov. 2025

Taking acetaminophen during pregnancy is not clearly linked to autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, a new review finds. —Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 9 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pregnancy

• ectopic pregnancy
• false pregnancy
• phantom pregnancy
• pregnancy test
• tubal pregnancy

Kids Definition

pregnancy

noun

preg·​nan·​cy ˈpreg-nən(t)-sē 

plural pregnancies

: the condition of being pregnant : gestation

Medical Definition

pregnancy

noun

preg·​nan·​cy ˈpreg-nən-sē 

plural pregnancies

1

: the condition of being pregnant

2

: an instance of being pregnant