mother-in-law
Americannoun
noun
Other Word 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.
But having grown up in less-privileged circumstances, she’s uneasy in the world she now inhabits and bristles at the condescending manner of her mother-in-law.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
Mollen, ironically, knows the pattern: In her Substack essay, she recalls that her mother-in-law “fell apart” when she and Biggs announced their engagement.
From Salon • Jun. 4, 2026
“I don’t really like it too much,” Slatten told the outlet, though she said her relationship with her mother-in-law has improved.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
"My mother-in-law and best friend died from heart complications," he said.
From BBC • May 3, 2026
After a long, frozen pause, Lady Constance stiffly patted her mother-in-law on the back.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
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.
