father

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

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Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Synonyms 1.3.2 Antonyms 1.3.3 Hypernyms 1.3.4 Derived terms 1.3.5 Translations 1.4 Verb 1.4.1 Translations 1.5 See also

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From Middle English fader < Old English fæder < Proto-Germanic *fader < Proto-Indo-European *ph₂tḗr. Cognates include Mycenaean Greek 𐀞𐀳 (pa-te) (Greek πατήρ) (patḗr), Latin pater, Spanish padre, French père, Persian پدر (pedar), Sanskrit पितृ (pitr), Icelandic faðir, Dutch vader and German Vater.

[edit] Pronunciation

• (RP) enPR: fä'thə(r), IPA: /ˈfɑː.ðə(ɹ)/, SAMPA: /"fA:D@(r)/

   Audio (UK)^{help, file}

  Rhymes: -ɑːðə(r)

• (Aus) enPR: fä'thə, IPA: /ˈfaː.ðə/, SAMPA: /"fa:D@/

  Rhymes: -aːðə

• (GenAm) enPR: fä'thər, IPA: /ˈfɑː.ðɚ/, SAMPA: /"fA:D@`/

   Audio (US)^{help, file}

  Rhymes: -ɑːðɚ

• Homophones: farther (in non-rhotic accents)
• Hyphenation: fa‧ther

[edit] Noun

father (plural fathers)

1. A male who sires (and often raises) a child.

   My father was a strong influence on me.

2. A term of address for an elderly man.

   Come, father; you can sit here.

3. A term of address for a Christian priest.

   Father Brown was the hero of the Chesterton mysteries.

4. A person who plays the role of a father in some way.

   My brother was a father to me after my parents got divorced.

   The child is father to the man.

5. The founder of a discipline or science.

   Albert Einstein is the father of modern physics.

[edit] Synonyms

• (parent): See WikiSaurus:father

[edit] Antonyms

• (with regards to gender) mother
• (with regards to ancestry) son, daughter, child

[edit] Hypernyms

• (a male parent): parent

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to father (third-person singular simple present fathers, present participle fathering, simple past and past participle fathered)

1. To be a father to; to sire.
   • 1592, William Shakespeare, 1 Henry VI v 4

     Well, go to; we'll have no bastards live; Especially since Charles must father it.

2. (figuratively) To give rise to.
   • 1610 — William Shakespeare, Cymbeline ii 2

     Cowards father cowards and base things sire base.

3. To act as a father; to support and nurture.
   • 1610 — William Shakespeare, Cymbeline iv 2

     Ay, good youth! And rather father thee than master thee.

[edit] Translations

[edit] See also

• beget
• grandpa
• pater
• paternal
• sire