parent

American  

[pair-uhnt, par-] / ˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær- /

noun

1. a father or a mother.

2. an ancestor, precursor, or progenitor.

3. a source, origin, or cause.

4. a protector or guardian.

5. Biology. any organism that produces or generates another.

6. Physics. the first nuclide in a radioactive series.

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adjective

1. being the original source.

   a parent organization.

2. Biology. pertaining to an organism, cell, or complex molecular structure that generates or produces another.

   parent cell;

   parent DNA.

verb (used with object)

1. to be or act as parent of.

   to parent children with both love and discipline.

parent British  

/ ˈpɛərənt /

noun

1. a father or mother

2. a person acting as a father or mother; guardian

3. rare an ancestor

4. a source or cause

5. 1. an organism or organization that has produced one or more organisms or organizations similar to itself

   2. ( as modifier )

      a parent organism

6. physics chem

   1. a precursor, such as a nucleus or compound, of a derived entity

   2. ( as modifier )

      a parent nucleus

      a parent ion

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Other Word Forms

• nonparent noun
• parenthood noun
• parentless adjective
• parentlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of parent

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin parent-, stem of parēns, noun use of present participle of parere “to bring forth, breed”

Example Sentences

Meta said parents and experts were worried about the ban isolating young people from online communities, and driving some to less regulated apps and darker corners of the internet.

From Barron's

In the book, you talk about parents being overwhelmed by never-ending coordination on group chats, school apps, carpooling texts.

From Los Angeles Times

On graduation day from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in San Francisco, she and her parents drove down to Koreatown, Hampton’s first neighborhood in L.A., with a mattress strapped to the car.

From Los Angeles Times

Joel's parents said he was a happy and lively little boy but started to feel unwell in March last year.

From BBC

It said the event had been axed after "concerns were raised by the National Education Union trade union staff group, parents and local constituents".

From BBC

Related Words

• father
• mother