mother lode

American  

[muhth-er-lohd] / ˈmʌð ərˌloʊd /

Or motherlode

noun

1. Mining. a rich or important lode.

2. a major or profitable source or supply.

   New York City is a mother lode of actors.

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mother lode British  

noun

1. mining the principal lode in a system

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Etymology

Origin of mother lode

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

Negro League stats accumulated and published by MLB today differ slightly from those on Baseball-Reference.com, the widely recognized mother lode of statistical information.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2024

But it could be a mother lode for small and large local news outlets, providing $500 million a year to preserve and grow local newsrooms.

From Seattle Times • May 15, 2024

But for a noir of isolation and concealment, about how the past can often feel inescapable, these shadowy dugouts — Travis’ motel, a church and one character’s lonely lair — are an atmospheric mother lode.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2024

The mother lode of winter storms has sent water blasting through rock crevices and rivers in the Sierra Nevada, leading to more glittering discoveries by prospectors.

From New York Times • Apr. 22, 2023

First they ripped out the boards that covered the ancient fireplace, coming upon the rusty bricks like prospectors upon the mother lode.

From "Bridge to Terabithia" by Katherine Paterson