Great Mother

[greyt muhth-er]

noun

1. The Great Mother, a vaguely defined deity symbolizing maternity, the fertility of the earth, and femininity in general; the central figure in the religions of ancient Anatolia, the Middle East, and the eastern Mediterranean, later sometimes taking the form of a specific goddess, as Cybele, Rhea, or Demeter.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Great Mother¹

First recorded in 1550–60; translation of Latin Magna Māter, from Greek Megálē Mḗtēr

Example Sentences

Everest’s summit — Chomolungma, or the Great Mother — chronicled in her book, she found release and began to heal.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The 2019 documentary “The Great Mother” profiles an activist who has served as legal guardian for hundreds of children born in the U.S. to parents who are undocumented.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"The Great Mother" recounts a turbulent period in the history of women through more than 400 paintings, photographs, drawings, sculptures, short films, and artefacts, including a flyer advertising the first abortion clinic.

Read more on Reuters

For Ms. Benglis, the fountain isn’t just an amusing sideline; it’s an expression of an essential intuition that we all are the offspring of the Great Mother.

Read more on New York Times

One chapter’s straightforward title is “The Great Mother, Son-in-Law Struggle.”

Read more on Seattle Times