stepfather

American  

[step-fah-ther] / ˈstɛpˌfɑ ðər /

noun

• stepfathers
  plural

1. the husband, by a later marriage, of one's parent.

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stepfather British  

/ ˈstɛpˌfɑːðə /

noun

1. a man who has married one's mother after the death or divorce of one's father

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• stepfatherly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• stepfathers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of stepfather

First recorded before 900; Middle English stepfader, Old English stēopfæder; step- + father ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stepfather stepfathers

A stepmother or stepfather may promise their spouse and stepchildren the world while both parties are living, but can change their mind after the death of their spouse.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026

Kohn said her mother and stepfather broke “the blessing” and got divorced a few years after the wedding.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 27, 2026

The family finally received a payout last Thursday, but with no paperwork to go along with it - and no sign of the ongoing pension payments due to Rachel's stepfather.

From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026

"Justice has finally been done for our son. He will now be able to rest in peace," Jonathan's stepfather told the press.

From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026

Then there was the case of Sybil Bolton, an Osage from Pawhuska who was under the guardianship of her white stepfather.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

One of those he investigated was Matthew White, and Clive told an extraordinary tale of finding that an approach by one of White's stepfathers had been disastrously mishandled by the Met in 1993.

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2023

And among those to be celebrated, according to NRF, are fathers, stepfathers, husbands, sons, grandfathers, brothers, godfathers, friends, or another relative who is like a father.

From Washington Times ● Jun. 18, 2022

Patchett paints other memorable pictures in the book, starting with the opening essay, “Three Fathers,” a group portrait of her father and two stepfathers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 23, 2021

Ditto became a straight-talking icon, as happy to discuss her challenging upbringing with her God-fearing mother and various stepfathers as she was the political, cultural, gender and sexuality issues that fired and inspired her.

From The Guardian ● May 28, 2017

If your leddyship means the bishops and curates, I'm sure they hae been but stepfathers to the Kirk o' Scotland.

From Old Mortality, Volume 1. by Sir Walter Scott