midwife
mid-wife · noun
Definitions
noun
- 1.
A trained health professional who assists women during childbirth and provides prenatal and postnatal care.
- 2.
To assist in the birth of a baby.
- 3.
A person or thing that helps bring something into being or development.
- 4.
To help bring something into existence or development.
Forms
plural: midwives
Phrases & expressions
- •certified nurse-midwife — a registered nurse with specialized training in midwifery
- •midwifery — the practice or profession of a midwife
Related words
Etymology
From Old English mid ("with") + wif ("woman"), literally meaning "a woman who is with" (the mother during childbirth). The word originally referred to any woman assisting at birth.