mother

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See also Mother

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[edit] English

Most common English words: within « room « power « #265: mother » often » themselves » half

[edit] Pronunciation

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[edit] Etymology 1

From Middle English moder < Old English mōdor < Proto-Germanic *mothær < Proto-Indo-European *méh₂tēr. Cognates include Modern Greek μητέρα (mētéra), German Mutter, Proto-Slavic *mati (Russian мать (mat’)), Latin mater, Persian مادر (madar), Mycenaean Greek 𐀔𐀳𐀩 (ma-te-re), and Sanskrit मातृ (mātṛ).

[edit] Noun

a mother and her baby

Singular
mother

Plural
mothers

mother (plural mothers)

  1. A (human) female who (a) parents a child or (b) gives birth to a baby. Sometimes used in reference to a pregnant female, possibly as a shortened form of mother-to-be (c).
(a) I am visiting my mother today.
    • 1988, Robert Ferro, Second Son
      He had something of his mother in him, but this was because he realized that in the end only her love was unconditional, and in gratitude he had emulated her.
(b) My sister-in-law has just become a mother.
(c) Nutrients and oxygen obtained by the mother are conveyed to the fetus.
    • 1991, Susan Faludi, The Undeclared War Against American Women
      The antiabortion iconography in the last decade featured the fetus but never the mother.
  1. a mother cat and kittens
  2. A female parent of an animal.
    The lioness was a mother of four cubs.
  3. (figuratively) A female ancestor.
  4. (figuratively) A source or origin, viewed affectionately.
    The Mediterranean was mother to many cultures and languages.
  5. (when followed by a surname) A title of respect for one's mother-in-law.
    Mother Smith, meet my cousin, Doug Jones.
  6. (figuratively) Any elderly woman, especially within a particular community
    • Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother. –Mark 3:35, NIV.
  7. (figuratively) Any person or entity which performs mothering.
    • The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel. –Judges 5:7, KJV.
    • Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. –Galatians 4:26, KJV.
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Antonyms
[edit] Hypernyms
[edit] Coordinate terms
[edit] Derived terms
terms derived from mother (noun)
[edit] Translations
female (human) who parents a child, gives birth to a baby, or is pregnant
  • Hebrew: אמא (’imā’) f.

, ǟma

, patra

, moder
one’s female parent
Title of respect for one's mother-in-law
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked

[edit] Verb

Infinitive
to mother

Third person singular
mothers

Simple past
mothered

Past participle
mothered

Present participle
mothering

to mother (third-person singular simple present mothers, present participle mothering, simple past and past participle mothered)

  1. (transitive) To treat as a mother would be expected to treat her child; to nurture.
[edit] Translations
to treat as a mother would be expected to

[edit] References

[edit] Etymology 2

Calque of Arabic أم (’umm, mother).

[edit] Noun

Singular
mother

Plural
mothers

mother (plural mothers)

  1. Something that is the greatest or most significant of its kind.
    "The great duel, the mother of all battles has begun." — Saddam Hussein
[edit] Translations
something that is the greatest of its kind

[edit] Etymology 3

Shortened from motherfucker

[edit] Alternative spellings

[edit] Noun

Singular
mother

Plural
mothers

mother (plural mothers)

  1. (vulgar, slang) motherfucker.
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Translations
motherfucker — see motherfucker
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