midwifelyadj.
/ˈmɪdwʌɪfli/, U.S. /ˈmɪdˌwaɪfli/ Characteristic of a midwife; of or relating to a midwife. rare before 20th cent.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > healer > one skilled in obstetrics or midwifery > [adjective]
midwifely1607
obstetricious1650
midwifish1755
1607 G. Markham Cavelarice i. 25 With other such like midwifely precepts, which I wish euery good breeder rather to hazard, then proue the experiment.
1915 Philos. Rev. 24 633 Here the pragmatist would reciprocate Professor Fite's midwifely services, by pointing out that even his humanism is not yet full-born.
1936 ‘R. West’ Thinking Reed i. 15 ‘When a woman is very tired,’ he said, with a return of midwifely sententiousness, ‘she does not know what is the matter with her.’
1989 Callaloo No. 38. 209 The work of art, with the midwifely aid of a supremely disinterested critic.., gets the exposure it needs.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1607