parent

American  

[pair-uhnt, par-] / ˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær- /

noun

1. a father or a mother.

2. an ancestor, precursor, or progenitor.

3. a source, origin, or cause.

4. a protector or guardian.

5. Biology.  any organism that produces or generates another.

6. Physics.  the first nuclide in a radioactive series.

---

adjective

1. being the original source.

   a parent organization.

2. Biology.  pertaining to an organism, cell, or complex molecular structure that generates or produces another.

   parent cell;

   parent DNA.

verb (used with object)

1. to be or act as parent of.

   to parent children with both love and discipline.

parent British  

/ ˈpɛərənt /

noun

1. a father or mother

2. a person acting as a father or mother; guardian

3. rare  an ancestor

4. a source or cause

5. 1. an organism or organization that has produced one or more organisms or organizations similar to itself

   2. ( as modifier )

      a parent organism

6. physics chem

   1. a precursor, such as a nucleus or compound, of a derived entity

   2. ( as modifier )

      a parent nucleus

      a parent ion

---

Other Word Forms

• nonparent noun
• parenthood noun
• parentless adjective
• parentlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of parent

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin parent-, stem of parēns, noun use of present participle of parere “to bring forth, breed”

Example Sentences

“Yeah. Dread in the morning. Anxiety and depression throughout the day. Sometimes I wonder if even worse when my parents try to help me — ”

From Salon

The sense that they were doing something by winning their first major trophy that their parents or grandparents who supported Palace couldn't see, was incredible.

From BBC

"I want you to know that your parents, your grandparents and many Spaniards, united, managed to carry out an exemplary transition" in "very complex circumstances", he added with a Spanish flag fluttering in the background.

From Barron's

Not everybody has the privilege to do what they love, my parents included.

From The Wall Street Journal

If he doesn’t have children, that would be his parents and siblings.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• father
• mother