mother
1a woman who has borne offspring; a female parent.
Often Mother . one’s own female parent: I should give Mother a call today.Our mother did not approve of many of the shenanigans we got up to.
a mother-in-law, stepmother, foster mother, female adoptive parent, or female guardian.
Usually Mother . a term of address for a female parent or a woman having or regarded as having the status, function, or authority of a female parent: Thank you for coming, Mother.
a woman providing care or exercising influence or authority like that of a female parent: The elderly widow next door was a mother to him.
the qualities characteristic of a mother, such as maternal affection, protectiveness, responsibility, etc.: Sometimes the mother in her comes out and she'll remind her students to drive safely.
something that gives rise to something else; origin or source: Imagination is the mother of possibility.
a woman who originates or creates something:Marie Curie was the mother of radiography.
Usually Mother .Ecclesiastical. a title of respect for certain female church leaders, such as heads of convents, bishops, or priests.: See also mother superior.
Mother, a title for something personified as an older woman: Mother Earth.
a term of familiar address for an old or elderly woman.
Slang. a euphemism for motherfucker.
Audio. (in disk recording) a mold from which stampers are made.
being a female parent: I watched as the mother bird fed her baby.
of, relating to, or characteristic of a mother: mother love.
learned or acquired from or as if from one's mother; native: After emigrating, he never really abandoned his mother culture.
bearing a relation like that of a mother, as in being the origin, source, leader, protector, etc.: The mother company issues directives to all its affiliates.The server is the mother computer for the whole network.
to be the mother, origin, or source of: She mothered two children.
to care for or protect like a mother; act maternally toward, sometimes in an excessive way: It’s in her nature to love and mother those around her.Stop mothering me!
to acknowledge oneself the author of; assume as one's own.
to perform the tasks or duties of a female parent, sometimes in an excessive way; act maternally: She’s always wanted to mother.
Idioms about mother
mother of all, the greatest or most notable example of: Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap has been called the mother of all mystery novels.
Origin of mother
1Other words for mother
Other words from mother
- moth·er·less, adjective
- moth·er·less·ness, noun
- moth·er·like, adjective
- un·moth·ered, adjective
Other definitions for mother (2 of 2)
a stringy, mucilaginous substance consisting of various bacteria, especially Acetobacter aceti, that forms on the surface of a fermenting liquid and converts ethanol to acetic acid, as in changing wine or cider to vinegar.
Origin of mother
2- Also called mother of vinegar .
- See also SCOBY.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for mother (1 of 2)
/ (ˈmʌðə) /
a female who has given birth to offspring
(as modifier): a mother bird
(often capital, esp as a term of address) a person's own mother
a female substituting in the function of a mother
(often capital) mainly archaic a term of address for an old woman
motherly qualities, such as maternal affection: it appealed to the mother in her
(as modifier): mother love
(in combination): mothercraft
a female or thing that creates, nurtures, protects, etc, something
(as modifier): mother church; mother earth
a title given to certain members of female religious orders: mother superior
Christian Science God as the eternal Principle
(modifier) native or innate: mother wit
offensive, taboo, slang, mainly US short for motherfucker offensive
be mother to pour the tea: I'll be mother
the mother of all … informal the greatest example of its kind: the mother of all parties
to give birth to or produce
to nurture, protect, etc as a mother
Origin of mother
1Other words from mother
- Related adjective: maternal
Derived forms of mother
- mothering, noun
British Dictionary definitions for mother (2 of 2)
/ (ˈmʌðə) /
a stringy slime containing various bacteria that forms on the surface of liquids undergoing acetous fermentation. It can be added to wine, cider, etc to promote vinegar formation: Also called: mother of vinegar
Origin of mother
2Derived forms of mother
- mothery, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with mother
In addition to the idiom beginning with mother
- mother of
also see:
- necessity is the mother of invention
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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