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Mother's Day

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noun
a day, usually the second Sunday in May, set aside in honor of mothers.

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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT MOTHER'S DAY

What is Mother's Day?

Mother’s Day is a holiday to honor and celebrate mothers and mother figures.

Many people celebrate the day by giving their mother cards or gifts, doing nice things for her, or spending the day with her or calling her (which you should do even when it’s not Mother’s Day).

When is Mother's Day?

In 2023, Mother’s Day will be celebrated on Sunday, May 14, in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and some other places. In these places, it’s always celebrated on the second Sunday in May. In 2024, Mother’s Day will be celebrated on Sunday, May 12.

In the U.K. and South Africa, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday in the Pre-Easter period known as Lent. This day is sometimes called Mothering Sunday.

Where does Mother's Day come from?

Mother’s Day first became an official holiday in the U.S. in 1914 after efforts by Anna Jarvis, who first celebrated the day in honor of her mother and other mothers in 1908.

The British tradition known as Mothering Sunday started with the practice of returning to one’s mother church—the one you were baptized in or grew up attending. Eventually, it became a day on which to honor mothers.

For some, Mother’s Day is a day to honor their stepmother, the grandmother who raised them, or another mother figure in their life. It’s important to remember that Mother’s Day can be a difficult holiday for some, including mothers who have lost their children and children who have lost their mothers.

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What are some synonyms for Mother’s Day?

What are some words that share a root or word element with Mother’s Day

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How is Mother's Day used in real life?

Mother’s Day is a day to appreciate and spend time with your mother.

 

Try using Mother's Day!

True or False?

Mother’s Day is observed on different dates in the U.S. and the U.K.

How to use Mother's Day in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for Mother's Day

Mother's Day

noun
US, Canadian, Australian and NZ the second Sunday in May, observed as a day in honour of mothers
Also called: Mothering Sunday British and Southern African the fourth Sunday in Lent, when mothers traditionally receive presents from their children
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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