paternity test

noun

: a test especially of DNA or genetic traits to determine whether a given man could be the biological father of a given child

Examples of paternity test in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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During the latest episode of Gypsy Rose: Life After Lock Up, Anderson shared his reaction to seeing the 33-year-old reality star's paternity test results online. Kayla Grant, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025 From physical fights to is-he-or-isn’t-he paternity test foolishness and now revenge p-rn, the storylines can get out of control. Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 7 Apr. 2025 Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal, the latter of which Povich says was a huge fan of Maury and would bet on the results of the paternity tests among his friends, as well as Cardi B and Nicki Minaj. Catherine Santino, People.com, 2 Apr. 2025 Estimates based on paternity tests are biased, as people paying for a test often already suspect EPP. Byandrew Curry, science.org, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for paternity test

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of paternity test was in 1926

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Cite this Entry

“Paternity test.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paternity%20test. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

Medical Definition

paternity test

noun
pa·​ter·​ni·​ty test pə-ˈtər-nət-ē- How to pronounce paternity test (audio)
: a test especially of DNA or genetic traits to determine whether a given man could be the biological father of a given child
paternity testing noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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