hockey mom

American

[hok-ee mom] / ˈhɒk i ˌmɒm /

noun

U.S. and Canada.

a mother who spends much time driving her children to hockey rinks, watching their games, and encouraging their participation in the sport.

Hockey moms are made of tough stuff.

Etymology

Origin of hockey mom

First recorded in 1955–60

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.

“I look at being a hockey mom as redefining what a hockey mom may be. And for me, that’s playing hockey with my child cheering me on.”

From Salon • Feb. 18, 2026

Palin has frequently called herself a "hockey mom" while making the political rounds.

From Fox News • Jan. 29, 2022

"I was just your average hockey mom… You know, they say the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick."

From BBC • Aug. 18, 2020

Or maybe she could repurpose that famous joke from the 2008 campaign—“You know what they say the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull is? Lipstick”—to sell some makeup.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2018

Palin's entry includes the quip from her speech at the 2008 Republican convention that the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull was "lipstick."

From Seattle Times • Nov. 9, 2012

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023