parent
[ pair-uh nt, par- ]
/ ˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær- /
noun
adjective
being the original source: a parent organization.
Biology. pertaining to an organism, cell, or complex molecular structure that generates or produces another: parent cell; parent DNA.
verb (used with object)
to be or act as parent of: to parent children with both love and discipline.
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RELATED WORDS
father, mother, originator, origin, prototype, center, author, root, creator, forerunner, source, architect, progenitor, folks, guardian, ancestor, cause, wellspring, fountainhead, begetter
Nearby words
Origin of parent
1375–1425; late Middle English (< Middle French) < Latin parent- (stem of parēns), noun use of present participle of parere to bring forth, breed
Related formspar·ent·less, adjectivepar·ent·like, adjectivenon·par·ent, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for parent
British Dictionary definitions for parent
parent
/ (ˈpɛərənt) /
noun
a father or mother
a person acting as a father or mother; guardian
rare an ancestor
a source or cause
- an organism or organization that has produced one or more organisms or organizations similar to itself
- (as modifier)a parent organism
physics chem
- a precursor, such as a nucleus or compound, of a derived entity
- (as modifier)a parent nucleus; a parent ion
Derived Formsparenthood, noun
Word Origin for parent
C15: via Old French from Latin parens parent, from parere to bring forth
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 parent
parent
[ pâr′ənt ]
n.
One who begets, gives birth to, or nurtures and raises a child; a father or mother.
An ancestor; a progenitor.
An organism that produces or generates offspring.
v.
To act as a parent to; to rear and nurture.
To cause to come into existence; to serve as a source for; originate.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.