mother-in-law
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of mother-in-law
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English moder in lawe; see origin at mother 1 ( def. ), in ( def. ), law 1 ( def. ); from Middle English in-lawe “in law,” i.e., “a person within the regulation and protection of the law,” based on the prohibition by Roman civil law and, later, Christian canon law, of marriages within four degrees of consanguinity, i.e., up to and including first cousins
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.
Outside the complex where Joan Manuel Lucena's mother-in-law was missing, rescuers found no signs of life.
From Barron's • Jul. 3, 2026
For his mother-in-law, it allowed her to be comfortable in her house and to live the life she wanted to live.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 17, 2026
My mother-in-law couldn’t keep up with a toddler.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
India's top anti-crime agency has arrested the mother-in-law of an Indian woman whose death has sparked conflicting claims of murder and suicide.
From BBC • May 29, 2026
“You mentioned during the course of your testimony these ‘dirty looks’ Mr. Miyamoto is supposed to have aimed at your mother-in-law.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
