mother

noun
UK: /ˈmʌðər/
US: /ˈmʌðər/

  1. A female parent.

    1. My mother is very kind to me, always helping with my problems. [ ] [ ]
    2. Becoming a mother changed her perspective, giving her new priorities in life. [ ] [ ]

  2. A female animal that has given birth.

    1. The mother cat protects her kittens from danger in the garden. [ ] [ ]
    2. The zookeeper ensures the mother elephant has enough food for her calf. [ ] [ ]

  3. A term of address for an elderly woman, especially in some religious orders.

    1. The students call their teacher 'mother' out of love and respect. [ ] [ ]
    2. We respect Mother Superior for her wisdom and guidance within our community. [ ] [ ]

  4. Something that is the origin or source of something.

    1. Necessity is the mother of invention, driving innovation to solve our problems. [ ] [ ]
    2. The internet is often called the mother of modern communication, because of how easy it is. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

mom mum mama parent source origin
mother transitive-verb

  1. To care for or protect like a mother.

    1. She likes to mother everyone she meets, always ensuring they are happy. [ ] [ ]
    2. He had to mother his younger siblings after their parents passed away. [ ] [ ]
mother adjective

  1. Relating to or characteristic of a mother.

    1. She has a mother hen attitude, always worrying about her children's safety. [ ] [ ]
    2. The mother tongue is often associated with deep emotional connection. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "mother" in English means: A female parent., A female animal that has given birth., A term of address for an elderly woman, especially in some religious orders., Something that is the origin or source of something..

The phonetic transcription of "mother" is /ˈmʌðər/ in British English and /ˈmʌðər/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "mother": mom, mum, mama, parent, source, origin.

Example usage of "mother": "My mother is very kind to me, always helping with my problems.". More examples on the page.