father-in-law
Americannoun
-
fathers-in-law
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of father-in-law
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English fader in lawe; see origin at father, 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:
Miller’s former father-in-law, Sen. Bernie Moreno, broke his long silence over the matter.
From Slate ● Aug. 8, 2026
But Joe said he thought his late father-in-law would have been on board with the plan.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
But hours later, Republican Senator Bernie Moreno -- Emily Moreno's father and Miller's former father-in-law -- publicly called for him to leave Congress.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
Prieto wasn’t entirely surprised her father-in-law landed the 30-pounder because she said he’s very dedicated to the sport.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
Obviously, whatever partner she found for her father-in-law must marry one of her ‘poor fatherless girls.’
From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes
Fathers, fathers-in-law, and brothers of current Royals players and staff travel with the group.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 6, 2023
Each of the sons’ fathers-in-law also had accounts at the bank worth millions of dollars, as did other businessmen linked to the Mubaraks, whom Egyptian authorities tried on corruption charges.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 21, 2022
About 35 to 40 percent of Purush Spandana will be purchased by women, who hope that by casually leaving a copy around the house, their husbands, fathers-in-law or sons may give it a glance.
From New York Times ● Nov. 12, 2012
And Paul finally realizes that his office/apartment/mole cave of blurry boundaries, provocative teenagers and angry fathers-in-law from exotic complicated countries, does not, right now, feel like the best place to raise a 12-year-old.
From Salon ● Nov. 24, 2010
We are all of us responsible for our friends, fathers-in-law for their sons-in-law, brothers for their sisters, husbands for their wives, parents for their children, and children even for their parents.
From The Three Clerks by Anthony Trollope
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.
