Mother — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective verb /ˈmə-t͟hər/ moth·er

Meaning & Definition of Mother

Mother (noun)

  1. a female parent
  2. a woman in authority; specifically, the superior of a religious community of women
  3. an old or elderly woman
  4. a slimy or gelatinous mass or film that contains bacteria, yeasts, or both, that forms in liquids during the process of fermentation, and that is often used as a starter in the production of certain food and beverage products:
  5. mother of vinegar
  6. scoby

Mother (adjective)

  1. of, relating to, or being a mother
  2. bearing the relation of a mother
  3. derived from or as if from one's mother

Mother (verb)

  1. to give birth to
  2. to give rise to, produce
  3. to care for or protect like a mother

Mother (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a female human parent

    "he dreaded telling his mother that her favorite figurine had gotten broken"

    similar: ma, mama, mammy, mater (chiefly British), mom, mommy, old lady

Mother (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a mother

    "she often offered to babysit for friends, hoping to satisfy her mother urges until she had children of her own"

    similar: maternal, motherly

Mother (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to bring forth from the womb

    "I hope to mother at least one child"

    similar: bear, birth (chiefly dialect), deliver, drop, have, produce, give birth to
  2. to attend to the needs and comforts of

    "mothered the patients with chicken soup"

Related Entry: Mother country (noun)

Mother country is a different word from Mother. The synonyms below are for mother country, not for mother.

  1. a place of origin

    "Greece can boast to being the mother country of democracy"

    related: hometown, Blighty (chiefly British), country, nativity, old country, roots
  2. the land of one's birth, residence, or citizenship

    "even after decades of living in their adopted nation, they maintained a strong attachment to the mother country"

Related Entry: Mother lode (noun)

Mother lode is a different word from Mother. The synonyms below are for mother lode, not for mother.

  1. an abundant source

    "the university has long been a mother lode of athletic talent, with many alumni joining the rarefied ranks of the professionals"

Related Entry: Mother-naked (adjective)

Mother-naked is a different word from Mother. The synonyms below are for mother-naked, not for mother.

  1. lacking or shed of clothing

    "shocked to find that many of the participants at the spring break bacchanal were mother-naked"

Related Entry: Mother tongue (noun)

Mother tongue is a different word from Mother. The synonyms below are for mother tongue, not for mother.

  1. the stock of words, pronunciation, and grammar used by a people as their basic means of communication

    "although the anthropologist could speak the local language fairly well, she was always glad to find someone who shared her mother tongue"

Related Entry: Mother Hubbard (noun)

Mother Hubbard is a different word from Mother. The synonyms below are for Mother Hubbard, not for mother.

  1. as in sweaterdress, granny dress

Related Entry: Mother Hubbards (noun)

Mother Hubbards is a different word from Mother. The synonyms below are for Mother Hubbards, not for mother.

  1. as in sweaterdresses, granny dresses

Related Entry: Mother superior (noun)

Mother superior is a different word from Mother. The synonyms below are for mother superior, not for mother.

  1. as in Reverend Mother, anchoress

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Mother

The most common words with a similar meaning to Mother:

Chiefly British: mater, do for
Chiefly dialect: birth

Near Antonyms of Mother

Word Forms of Mother

Inflections: mothered, mothering, mothers

Derived words: motherhood (noun), motherless (adjective), motherlessness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Mother

Middle English moder, from Old English mōdor; akin to Old High German muoter mother, Latin mater, Greek mētēr, Sanskrit mātṛ

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Mother

Words & Phrases Containing Mother

Frequently Asked Questions about Mother

What does "Mother" mean?

"Mother" means a female parent. As an a noun, an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: a female parent. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Mother"?

Other words for "Mother" include ma, mama, mammy, mater, mom, mommy, old lady and maternal. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Mother" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Mother"?

There are 80 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Mother". Common alternatives include ma, mama, mammy, mater, mom, mommy, old lady, maternal, motherly and bear.

How do you use "Mother" in a sentence?

Examples of "Mother" in a sentence: "he dreaded telling his mother that her favorite figurine had gotten broken"; "she often offered to babysit for friends, hoping to satisfy her mother urges until she had children of her own"; "I hope to mother at least one child".

Is "Mother" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Mother" can be used as a noun, an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Mother" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Mother" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Mother"?

"Mother" is pronounced /ˈmə-t͟hər/ and divided into syllables as moth·er.

What is the origin of the word "Mother"?

"Mother" comes from Middle English moder, from Old English mōdor; akin to Old High German muoter mother, Latin mater, Greek mētēr, Sanskrit mātṛ. First known use: before 12th century.