One who begets, gives birth to, or nurtures and raises a child; a father or mother.
An ancestor; a progenitor.
An organism that produces or generates offspring.
A guardian; a protector.
A parent company.
A source or cause; an origin: Despair is the parent of rebellion.
v.
par·ent·ed, par·ent·ing, par·ents
v.
tr.
To act as a parent to; raise and nurture: "A genitor who does not parent the child is not its parent"(Ashley Montagu).
To cause to come into existence; originate.
v.
intr. To act as a parent.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin parēns, parent-, from past active participle of parere, to give birth; see perə-1 in Indo-European roots.] par'ent·hood' n.
[pair-uh
nt-hoo