Paternity

n.	1.	The relation of a father to his child; fathership; fatherhood; family headship; as, the divine paternity. The world, while it had scarcity of people, underwent no other dominion than paternity and eldership. - Sir W. Raleigh.
	2.	Derivation or descent from a father; male parentage; as, the paternity of a child.
	3.	Origin; authorship. The paternity of these novels was . . . disputed. - Sir W. Scott.

Noun	1.	paternity - the state of being a father; "tests were conducted to determine paternity"
	2.	paternity - the kinship relation between an offspring and the father Synonyms: fatherhood
	3.	paternity - the act of initiating a new idea or theory or writing; "the authorship of the theory is disputed" Synonyms: authorship

PATERNITY, The state or condition of a father.
     2. The husband is prima facie presumed to be the father of his wife's children, born during coverture, or within a competent time afterwards pater is est quem nuptim demonstrant. 7 N. S. 553. But this presumption may be rebutted by showing circumstances which render it impossible that the husband can be the father. 6 Binn. 283; 1 Browne's R. Appx. xlvii.; Hardin's R. 479; 8 East, R. 193; Stra. 51, 940. 4 T. R; 356;. 2 M. & K. 349; 3 Paige's R. 139; I Sim. & Stu. 150; Turn. & Russ. 138; 1 Bouv. Inst. n. 302, et seq.
     3. The declarations of both or one of the spouses, however, cannot affect the condition of a child born during the marriage. 7 N. S. 553; 3 Paige's R. 139. Vide Bastard;. Bastardy;, Legitimacy; Maternity; Pregnancy.

affiliation, agnation, alliance, ancestry, blood, blood relationship, brotherhood, brothership, cognation, common ancestry, common descent, connection, consanguinity, cousinhood, cousinship, descent, enation, extraction, family, fatherhood, fatherliness, filiation, fraternity, heritage, kindred, kinship, line, lineage, maternity, matrilineage, matriliny, matrisib, matrocliny, motherhood, parentage, paternalness, patrilineage, patriliny, patrisib, patrocliny, propinquity, relation, relationship, sibship, sisterhood, sistership, stock, strain, ties of blood