The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Paternity \Pa*ter"ni*ty\, n. [L. paternitas: cf. F.
   paternit['e]. See Paternal.]
   1. The relation of a father to his child; fathership;
      fatherhood; family headship; as, the divine paternity.
      [1913 Webster]

            The world, while it had scarcity of people,
            underwent no other dominion than paternity and
            eldership.                            --Sir W.
                                                  Raleigh.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Derivation or descent from a father; male parentage; as,
      the paternity of a child.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Origin; authorship.
      [1913 Webster]

            The paternity of these novels was . . . disputed.
                                                  --Sir W.
                                                  Scott.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

paternity
    n 1: the state of being a father; "tests were conducted to
         determine paternity"
    2: the kinship relation between an offspring and the father
       [syn: fatherhood, paternity]
    3: the act of initiating a new idea or theory or writing; "the
       authorship of the theory is disputed" [syn: authorship,
       paternity]