co-parent

American  

[koh-pair-uhnt, -par-, koh-pair-, -par-, koh-pair-uhnt, -par-] / ˈkoʊˌpɛər ənt, -ˌpær-, koʊˈpɛər-, -ˈpær-, koʊˈpɛər ənt, -ˈpær- /

Or coparent

noun

1. a divorced or separated parent who shares equally with the other parent in the custody and care of a child.

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verb (used with object)

1. to share equally with another parent in the care of (a child).

verb (used without object)

1. to act as a co-parent.

Etymology

Origin of co-parent

First recorded in 1850–55

Explanation

When two people raise a child together, they co-parent. This word is also a noun, so you can describe the people who co-parent as co-parents. If you grew up with two parents, they co-parented you, working together to nurture and care for you as you grew. This word is commonly used for divorced or separated people as a way to emphasize the ongoing collaboration between parents, even when they are no longer a couple. The earliest known use of co-parent was in the 1970s, with the prefix co- meaning "together."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

co-parent

Mammals rarely co-parent, as opposed to, say, fish—seahorse dads develop brood pouches during their pregnancies, boosted by the hormone prolactin—but humans are an exception.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

Melissa, Jesus and Irene sought to each have visitation with their daughter and reunification services to help them figure out a way to co-parent.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 25, 2026

When Simpson and Johnson first announced their split, the musician insisted that their kids were their main priority—vowing that they would continue to co-parent as amicably as possible.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 18, 2026

"Our main focus is our girls and we just want to co-parent the best way we can and give them all the love and energy and positivity," she says.

From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2026

More parenting influencers are coming forward to say that they’re using ChatGPT essentially as a co-parent.

From Salon ● Sep. 20, 2025