accouchement

noun

ac·​couche·​ment ˌa-ˌküsh-ˈmäⁿ  ə-ˈküsh-ˌmäⁿ 

: the time or act of giving birth

Synonyms

• childbearing
• childbirth
• delivery
• labor
• parturition
• travail

Examples of accouchement in a Sentence

for her second accouchement, she was attended by a more sympathetic doctor

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, going back to Old French acochement, from acocher, acouchier "to go to bed, take to bed in order to give birth, give birth" (from a-, prefix forming transitive verbs—going back to Latin ad- ad-— + culcer, couchier "to lay out, put to bed") + -ment -ment — more at couch entry 1

First Known Use

1730, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

accouchement

noun

ac·​couche·​ment ˌa-ˌküsh-ˈmäⁿ  ə-ˈküsh-ˌ 

: the time or act of giving birth