mother

[ muhth-er ]

/ ˈmʌð ər /

|||

noun

a female parent.

(often initial capital letter) one's female parent.

a mother-in-law, stepmother, or adoptive mother.

a term of address for a female parent or a woman having or regarded as having the status, function, or authority of a female parent.

a term of familiar address for an old or elderly woman.

mother superior.

a woman exercising control, influence, or authority like that of a mother: to be a mother to someone.

the qualities characteristic of a mother, as maternal affection: It is the mother in her showing itself.

something or someone that gives rise to or exercises protecting care over something else; origin or source.

(in disc recording) a mold from which stampers are made.

adjective

being a mother: a mother bird.

of, relating to, or characteristic of a mother: mother love.

derived from or as if from one's mother; native: his mother culture.

bearing a relation like that of a mother, as in being the origin, source, or protector: the mother company and its affiliates; the mother computer and its network of terminals.

verb (used with object)

to be the mother of; give origin or rise to.

to acknowledge oneself the author of; assume as one's own.

to care for or protect like a mother; act maternally toward.

verb (used without object)

to perform the tasks or duties of a female parent; act maternally: a woman with a need to mother.

Nearby words

moth mullein, moth orchid, moth-eaten, mothball, mothballs, mother, mother carey's chicken, mother cell, mother church, mother city, mother country

Idioms

mother of all, the greatest or most notable example of: the mother of all mystery novels.

Origin of mother

before 900; Middle English mother, moder, Old English mōdor; cognate with Dutch moeder, German Mutter, Old Norse mōthir, Latin māter, Greek mḗtēr, Sanskrit mātar-. As in father, th was substituted for d, possibly on the model of brother

SYNONYMS FOR mother

17 tend, nurse, mind, raise.

Related forms

moth·er·less, adjectivemoth·er·less·ness, nounun·moth·ered, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for motherless

When Motherless Brooklyn won the National Book Critics Circle Award, I felt I could exhale, after working frenetically.
How I Write: Jonathan Lethem|Noah Charney|September 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Motherless babies are far less likely than others to survive their first two years.
Christy Turlington's Labor of Love|Michelle Goldberg|June 9, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Behind these statistics are the stories of promising lives cut short and of the motherless children left behind.
The Fight for Women's Lives|The Daily Beast|September 25, 2009|DAILY BEAST
It was a graceful tribute, and one that touched the motherless girl as few words could.
Uncle Terry|Charles Clark Munn

But we are motherless, too; you should be sorry for us; you should wish to keep us.
Polly|L. T. Meade
I have asked Thee to be a mother to my motherless children, and now, indeed, Thou hast given me my prayer.
A Handful of Stars|Frank W. Boreham
Motherless, his father a drunkard, the heavy arm of the law was laid upon him at the age of ten.
Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist|Alexander Berkman
At the time she was deeply interested in the future of four nephews, who were the motherless sons of her brother.
The Leaven in a Great City|Lillian William Betts

British Dictionary definitions for motherless (1 of 3)

motherless

/ (ˈmʌðələs) /

adjective

not having a mother

adverb

Australian informal (intensifier)motherless broke

British Dictionary definitions for motherless (2 of 3)

mother

/ (ˈmʌðə) /

noun

a female who has given birth to offspring
(as modifier)a mother bird

(often capital, esp as a term of address) a person's own mother

a female substituting in the function of a mother

(often capital) mainly archaic a term of address for an old woman

motherly qualities, such as maternal affectionit appealed to the mother in her
(as modifier)mother love
(in combination)mothercraft

a female or thing that creates, nurtures, protects, etc, something
(as modifier)mother church; mother earth

a title given to certain members of female religious ordersmother superior

Christian Science God as the eternal Principle

(modifier) native or innatemother wit

offensive, taboo, slang, mainly US short for motherfucker offensive

be mother to pour the teaI'll be mother

the mother of all … informal the greatest example of its kindthe mother of all parties

verb (tr)

to give birth to or produce

to nurture, protect, etc as a mother

Related forms

Related adjective: maternal

Derived Forms

mothering, noun

Word Origin for mother

Old English mōdor; compare Old Saxon mōdar, Old High German muotar, Latin māter, Greek mētēr

British Dictionary definitions for motherless (3 of 3)

mother

/ (ˈmʌðə) /

noun

a stringy slime containing various bacteria that forms on the surface of liquids undergoing acetous fermentation. It can be added to wine, cider, etc to promote vinegar formationAlso called: mother of vinegar

Derived Forms

mothery, adjective

Word Origin for mother

C16: perhaps from mother 1, but compare Spanish madre scum, Dutch modder dregs, Middle Low German modder decaying object, mudde sludge

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

Medicine definitions for motherless

mother

[ mŭð′ər ]

n.

A woman who conceives, gives birth to, or raises and nurtures a child.

A female parent of an animal.

A structure, such as a mother cell, from which other similar bodies are formed.

Idioms and Phrases with motherless

mother

In addition to the idiom beginning with mother

mother of

also see:

necessity is the mother of invention