mother language

noun

1. a language from which another language is descended; parent language.

Example Sentences

Arab-My 1st mother language is Arabic; My Ethnic background is Arab.

From The Daily Beast

The Bible never calls God a mother, though the mother language, as here, is used of Him many times.

From Project Gutenberg

By English I mean all those whose mother language is English.

From Project Gutenberg

It may amuse the reader to see his mother language transformed into so odd a shape that it is with difficulty he can recognise it.

From Project Gutenberg

Of these, the principal, or mother language, was spoken on the island of Santa Cruz.

From Project Gutenberg

I didn't fix the mother language, and I can't unfix it,' said the Captain coolly; 'else I'd make it pleasant.

From Project Gutenberg