daughter-in-law
Americannoun
-
daughters-in-law
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of daughter-in-law
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English doughter in lawe; see origin at daughter, in, law 1; from Middle English in-lawe “in law,” i.e., “a person within the regulation and protection of the law,” based on the prohibition by Roman civil law and, later, Christian canon law, of marriages within four degrees of consanguinity, i.e., up to and including first cousins
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.
See Examples For:
“They’re a team,” said Carla Prieto, Fuentes’ daughter-in-law.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
That night, her daughter-in-law stayed awake, scouring the internet for answers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
A man who lost his son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter refused to leave until he saw their bodies.
From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2026
My son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter live there and take care of utilities, yardwork and maintenance.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 4, 2026
The countess and her daughter-in-law were no longer good enough; he had grown too old for fun, he no longer had the time.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
His grandad Michael, 65, started out in 1992 and, at various points over the years, has been joined by all five of his sons and two of his daughters-in-law.
From BBC ● Feb. 1, 2025
Moore is survived by his sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
From Salon ● Feb. 12, 2024
Nearby, a group of women discussed their sons and daughters-in-law in muffled voices inside the latticed hall of the gurudwara, some lying on the carpeted floor.
From New York Times ● Nov. 28, 2022
Abu Raya said those killed were from three generations of Abu Rayas — a couple, their five sons, two daughters-in-law and eight grandchildren.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 18, 2022
Then all the women gave a wail of joy—daughters, daughters-in-law, and the Lady Eurydike, Klymenos’ eldest daughter.
From "The Odyssey" by Homer
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.
