mother-in-law
Americannoun
noun
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.
I will say, in this hour, I do a whole piece on my mother-in-law, and I’ve talked about my mother-in-law a lot in my comedy specials, and she loves it.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
"My mother-in-law and best friend died from heart complications," he said.
From BBC • May 3, 2026
My mother-in-law, now in her mid-80s, has an addictive personality and is a very difficult person.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026
So, I have, in fact, become like my mother-in-law.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026
Maybe because she wasn’t happy making them here under the watchful eyes of her mother-in-law.
From Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm
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.
