foremother
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of foremother
1575–85; fore- + mother 1 on the model of forefather
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 poem — once called “the most reviled poem in African American literature” — has been hard for many to take, including the generations of Black poets who have claimed Wheatley as a foremother.
From New York Times ● Mar. 2, 2023
Even today, many in the country of 12 million know little about their foremother.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 26, 2021
In recent years, Chisholm has received some belated recognition for her role in establishing the groundwork for women’s fight against sexual harassment, and she has been cited as a foremother of the modern #MeToo movement.
From Slate ● May 6, 2020
“She’s a pioneering performance artist and poet, a mystic, a feminist foremother for a whole generation of women artists and writers.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 16, 2020
Some forefather of yours may have heard the song of the Over-Lord, perhaps from the lips of some foremother of mine.
From Stella Fregelius by Haggard, Henry Rider
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.
