mother-in-law
[ muhth-er-in-law ]
/ ˈmʌð ər ɪnˌlɔ /
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noun, plural moth·ers-in-law.
the mother of one's spouse.
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Origin of mother-in-law
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English moder in lawe; see origin at mother1, in, law1; 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
Words nearby mother-in-law
motherhood, mother house, Mother Hubbard, mothering, Mothering Sunday, mother-in-law, mother-in-law's tongue, motherland, mother language, motherless, mother liquor
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for mother-in-law
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
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