Midwife

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈmɪd.waɪf/

Origin

From Old English, corresponding to mid ("with") + wīf ("woman").

Full definition of midwife

Noun

1. A person, usually a woman, who is trained to assist women in childbirth, but who is not a physician.A hundred years ago, a midwife would bring the baby into the world - going to a hospital to deliver a baby was either impossible or unheard of.
2. (rare, figuratively) Someone who assists in bringing about some result or project.

Synonyms

• accoucheuse

Coordinate terms

• accoucheur
• (male) midwife
• man-midwife

Derived terms

• midwife toad
• midwifery

Related terms

• midhusband

Verb

1. (transitive) To act as a midwife
2. (transitive, figuratively) to facilitate the emergence ofBut the bigger objective was to help Iraqis midwife a democratic model that could inspire reform across the Arab-Muslim world and give the youth there a chance at a better future.
3. Thomas L. Friedman. "Attention: Baby on Board." New York Times. April 13, 2010.

Usage notes

While elementary students are taught "replace 'f' with 'v'," the mistake resulting in "midwifed" is made often enough in informal/colloquial language to indicate the rule is not consistently followed.