mother-in-law

[ muhth -er-in-law ]

/ ˈmʌð ər ɪnˌlɔ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR mother-in-law ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural moth·ers-in-law.

the mother of one's husband or wife.

Nearby words

mother wit, mother yaw, mother's boy, mother's day, mother's helper, mother-in-law, mother-in-law plant, mother-in-law's tongue, mother-naked, mother-of-pearl, mother-of-pearl cloud

Origin of mother-in-law

1350–1400; Middle English modyr in lawe

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for mother-in-law

Rosalind Seysses, my mother-in-law, has been a longtime model, mentor, and support.
Yes, Women Can Make Great Wine|Jordan Salcito|March 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Her mother-in-law was injured and had to seek medical attention.
Her Husband Shot This 17-Year-Old Afghan Girl In The Face—And She Lived|Nina Strochlic|March 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He laundered money into Swiss banks and used his mother-in-law and her sister to traffic cash into the country.
The Real Wolf of Wall Street: Jordan Belfort’s Vulgar Memoirs|Jimmy So|December 20, 2013|DAILY BEAST
My mother-in-law used to watch the show anyway, so she got a giggle out of the idea.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Carlton Gebbia Really Practices Witchcraft|Erin Cunningham|October 23, 2013|DAILY BEAST

And in the 2010 comedy Grown Ups, Chris Rock plays a stay-at-home father who is mercilessly emasculated by his own mother-in-law.
Pop Culture’s House Husbands Lag Behind the Reality in American Homes|Soraya Roberts|June 18, 2013|DAILY BEAST
A hundred questions passed through my brain; questions which I would ask the mother-in-law when she appeared.
The Immigrant Tide, Its Ebb and Flow|Edward A. Steiner
"The world constitutes itself judge in such cases," retorted her mother-in-law.
Shadows of Flames|Amelie Rives
And my mother-in-law—a superb woman still, and with such a manner!
Le Cocu (Novels of Paul de Kock Volume XVIII)|Charles Paul de Kock
When I came from the synagogue, I did not find my mother-in-law at home, but found my wife in tears.
Solomon Maimon: An Autobiography.|Solomon Maimon
I'm everything really now except a mother-in-law and a grandmother.
The Pastor's Wife|Elizabeth von Arnim

British Dictionary definitions for mother-in-law

mother-in-law

noun plural mothers-in-law

the mother of one's wife or husband

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

mother-in-law

noun, plural moth·ers-in-law.

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Nearby words

Origin of mother-in-law

Examples from the Web for mother-in-law

British Dictionary definitions for mother-in-law

mother-in-law

noun plural mothers-in-law