Meanings
nounpaternity suit (plural paternity suits)
plural paternity suits
- A lawsuit to identify a child's father and establish child support.
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna lawsuit filed to determine the father of a child born out of wedlock (and to provide for the support of the child once paternity is determined)
Similar
bastardy proceeding
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Hungarian apasági kereset
- apasági keresetlawsuit to identify a child's father
Polish wystąpienie przez matkę do sądu o potwierdzenie ojcostwa
- wystąpienie przez matkę do sądu o potwierdzenie ojcostwalawsuit to identify a child's father
Cite this entry
APA
paternity suit. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paternity%20suit
MLA
“paternity suit.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paternity%20suit. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “paternity suit,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paternity%20suit.
Source: paternity suit on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.