Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A person, usually a woman, who is trained to assist women in childbirth.
  • noun One who assists in or takes a part in bringing about a result.
  • transitive verb To assist in the birth of (a baby).
  • transitive verb To assist in bringing forth or about.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A woman who assists women in childbirth.
  • To perform the office of midwife.
  • To assist in childbirth.
  • To aid in bringing into being by acting the part of a midwife; assist in bringing to light.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A woman who assists other women in childbirth; a female practitioner of the obstetric art.
  • transitive verb To assist in childbirth.
  • intransitive verb To perform the office of midwife.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A person, usually a woman, who is trained to assist women in childbirth, but who is not a physician.
  • noun rare, figuratively Someone who assists in bringing about some result or project.
  • verb transitive To act as a midwife
  • verb transitive, figuratively to facilitate the emergence of

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a woman skilled in aiding the delivery of babies

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English midwif : probably mid, with (from Old English; see me- in Indo-European roots) + wif, woman (from Old English wīf; see wife).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

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

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Examples

  • Mr. MO ROCCA (Contributor, "CBS Sunday Morning"): Get your baby delivered by a midwife from the cast of "Star Trek."

    Prediction 2010

  • My midwife is prescribing me some pain killers, but I probably will avoid taking them since they usually make me really sick to my stomach.

    Not glowing yet 2008

  • After the midwife is bitten by a rattle snake, she asks Dr. Quinn to look after her three children.

    NBC Cancels Christian Slater Drama “My Own Worst Enemy” 2008

  • I honestly think that we are still working on many feminists to realize that fighting for my right to birth with a midwife is just as important as their right to terminate their pregnancy.

    Archive 2008-09-01 2008

  • I honestly think that we are still working on many feminists to realize that fighting for my right to birth with a midwife is just as important as their right to terminate their pregnancy.

    How Sarah Palin will push reproductive justice to the next level 2008

  • When I called my midwife, she reassured me and said I should expect contractions to start soon.

    The Official Lamaze® Guide Judith Lothian RN 2010

  • In the morning we called our midwife and doula and arranged to meet them at the freestanding birth center where we planned to have a natural, drug-free water birth.

    Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth THE BOSTON WOMEN’S HEALTH BOOK COLLECTIVE 2008

  • If your doctor or midwife is not, perhaps you can find a different one.

    Born at Home 2006

  • Our insurance will pay for it so long as the midwife is licensed!

    Born at Home 2006

  • In the morning we called our midwife and doula and arranged to meet them at the freestanding birth center where we planned to have a natural, drug-free water birth.

    Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth THE BOSTON WOMEN’S HEALTH BOOK COLLECTIVE 2008

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