single mother

American  

Informal, single mom

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of single mother

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

She is also the subject of a 2023 documentary, titled Mountain Queen, about her multiple Everest summit climbs and life as a single mother.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

Crow noted that she chose Nashville because she already had family living in the area, family that would become an integral part of her decision to adopt two children as a single mother.

From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026

Affordability was a major theme in the debate, which included an introductory video of a single mother struggling to fill her gas tank and buy groceries.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

Liz Myers, a single mother from Evanston, Ill., has flown Spirit for years, taking her kids to Walt Disney World and traveling to work-training events.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

It was still a household run by a single mother with only a high school equivalency degree, no career skills, no assets, and no immediate prospects for independence.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times