mother lode
Americannoun
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Mining. a rich or important lode.
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a major or profitable source or supply.
New York City is a mother lode of actors.
noun
Etymology
Origin of mother lode
First recorded in 1855–60
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly—the local version of a city council—saw a mother lode of opportunity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026
But it could be a mother lode for small and large local news outlets, providing $500 million a year to preserve and grow local newsrooms.
From Seattle Times ● May 15, 2024
Two-thousand-five-hundred miles west of Dodger Stadium was a mother lode of Dodgers memorabilia.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2023
The mother lode of winter storms has sent water blasting through rock crevices and rivers in the Sierra Nevada, leading to more glittering discoveries by prospectors.
From New York Times ● Apr. 22, 2023
He took a peek into the bag—whoa—a fly mother lode!
From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
