mother-in-law

American  

[muhth-er-in-law] / ˈmʌð ər ɪnˌlɔ /

noun

plural

mothers-in-law

1. the mother of one's spouse.

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mother-in-law British  

noun

1. the mother of one's wife or husband

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Etymology

Origin of mother-in-law

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English moder in lawe; 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

A woman who identified herself as the mother-in-law of the detained person said he had nothing to do with the case.

From BBC

“Luckily, it is modular, so my mother-in-law and I took it home in pieces in two cars.”

From Los Angeles Times

The depictions of Ruth’s uptight and stingy brother Hyacinth and jealous and mother-in-law from hell “old Mrs. Hall” are both hoots.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Palisades fire destroyed the Pacific Palisades home of Beutner’s mother-in-law.

From Los Angeles Times

My mother-in-law passed away earlier this year and left her California home to her two sons: my husband and his brother.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• aunt
• cousin
• father
• folk
• mother
• niece
• sibling
• uncle