single father

American  

Informal, single dad

noun

1. a father who brings up a child or children alone, without a partner.

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Etymology

Origin of single father

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

But Liu isn’t the only single father via surrogacy in the spotlight—TV host Andy Cohen and singer Ricky Martin have each spoken publicly about their decision to go this route.

From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026

California surrogacy agency owner Joy Millan said she was approached by a single father in China seeking to hire four surrogates.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 14, 2025

Ieuan Hood, a single father of three, is meticulous when it comes to his finances - he knows where every penny is going.

From BBC • May 21, 2025

He spent 30 years caring for two elderly parents who had serious health issues, while he was also a single father, raising two sons he adopted from a niece.

From Salon • Dec. 26, 2024

Doug spent even more time writing faxes to his two grown kids—Angie, nineteen, and, Jaime, twenty-seven—whom he’d raised as a single father.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer