mother superior

American  

noun

mother superiors, plural mothers superior plural

1. the head of a Christian religious community for women.

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mother superior British  

noun

1. the head of a community of nuns

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• mothers superior
  plural
• mother superiors
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mother superior

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

A mother superior in her 40s, she has found a young acolyte, Richardis, deeply devoted to her and who paints representations of Hildegard’s visions.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 7, 2025

About three miles from downtown Galveston, 93 children lived at St. Mary’s Orphanage with 10 nuns, including Sister M. Camillus Tracy, the mother superior.

From Washington Post • Oct. 1, 2020

Bryant, one of the first to challenge that imbalance, became a mother superior to any number of young artists, including Hammons.

From The New Yorker • Dec. 2, 2019

The nuns feed about 2,500 migrants once a day – rice, beans, eggs and bread – thought donations are scarce and local traders often try to gouge prices, said Sister Bertha López, the mother superior.

From The Guardian • Jun. 5, 2019

“I really don’t think the mother superior wants an eejit at the convent,” Emilia said.

From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer