couvade

Thân thiện

A man practices couvade by resting in bed while his wife is in labor.

Definition

Noun: 1. Anthropological custom: A ritual or custom observed in certain cultures where the husband of a pregnant woman takes to his bed, simulates labor pains, or observes specific food taboos and behavioral restrictions during or after his wife's childbirth. The practice often symbolizes the father's social connection to the child and shares in the childbirth experience.

Usage

• The anthropologist documented the couvade ritual, where the new father was secluded and fasted.
• In studying traditional societies, the practice of couvade highlights the cultural roles of fathers.

Advanced Usage

• Academic/Anthropological Context: The term is used almost exclusively in anthropology, ethnography, and cross-cultural studies to describe this specific class of rituals.
  • The chapter on kinship practices included a detailed analysis of the couvade.

Variants and Related Words

• Couvade syndrome (n): A modern, psychological term referring to the experience of some expectant fathers who report having physical symptoms similar to pregnancy, such as weight gain, nausea, or backache. This is a related but distinct concept from the traditional cultural ritual.
  • He experienced a mild form of couvade syndrome, complaining of morning sickness alongside his pregnant wife.

Synonyms

• Sympathetic pregnancy (informal, for the modern syndrome): This colloquial term is sometimes used for the psychological condition but is not a direct synonym for the traditional cultural ritual of couvade.
• Paternal childbirth ritual: A descriptive phrase for the custom.

Notes on Meaning

• The term couvade refers specifically to the formalized cultural or . It is not a general term for a father's involvement in childbirth or for feeling empathy.
• Its primary meaning is anthropological, describing an observed social practice, not a medical or psychological condition (which is "couvade syndrome").

Học thuật

Noun

1. a custom among some peoples whereby the husband of a pregnant wife is put to bed at the time of bearing the child