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

“My father is 80, my mother and mother-in-law are in their mid-70s. All of us try to be everywhere at all times, and we are like a significant portion of the country doing unpaid care.”

From MarketWatch

"My mother-in-law and I noticed that the patient did not seem to be moving," she said.

From BBC

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

Related Words

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