mother tongue
Americannoun
-
the language first learned by a person; native language.
noun
-
the language first learned by a child
-
a language from which another has evolved
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of mother tongue
1350–1400; Middle English moder tonge
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.
He dropped his English name, James, and resolved to write only in the language of the Kikuyu people, his mother tongue.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 23, 2025
It just created this real, almost, like, subconscious intimacy because it’s the mother tongue.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 18, 2025
As the young children enthusiastically sang out phrases, Esau interjected occasionally to correct their pronunciation of the distinct sounds and deep clicks of her mother tongue, of which she is the last first-language speaker.
From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2025
Rapping in the Irish language, a hip-hop trio from Belfast lead a movement to save their mother tongue.
From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2025
For instance, although he can understand his mother tongue, and speak it fluently, he cannot read or write it with even modest proficiency.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
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.
