mother country
Americannoun
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the country of one's birth or ancestry.
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the country of origin of settlers or colonists in a place.
noun
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the original country of colonists or settlers
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another term for fatherland
Etymology
Origin of mother country
First recorded in 1580–90
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.
Even so, Maduro’s ouster gave her a lot of hope for her mother country.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 11, 2026
For 300 years, New Spain remained the glittering jewel in the Spanish crown, enriching the mother country and shaping world history.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2025
That made them the only Asian group that felt more favorably about other Asian nations than their mother country.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 19, 2023
He longs for a homeland he does not want to live in, and he criticizes his mother country from the safety of his adopted one.
From Salon ● Dec. 16, 2022
The Youth League was marginally more friendly to the Indians and the Coloureds, stating that Indians, like Africans, were oppressed, but that Indians had India, a mother country that they could look to.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
