stepfather

American  

[step-fah-ther] / ˈstɛpˌfɑ ðər /

noun

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

• stepfatherly adverb

Etymology

Origin of stepfather

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

Example Sentences

Her stepfather, Peter, said they believed staff "would just brush off Molly's concerns" about her health and "not take them seriously".

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

While my mother and stepfather always loved me, my stepfather became severely disabled when I was 3, leaving me feeling as though I had to raise myself.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

Morgan was regarded as Jensen-Lee's stepfather after starting a relationship with mother Jordan Dougal and moving into the family home in mid-January 2024.

From BBC • Feb. 10, 2026

With the support of her mother and stepfather, Fleming worked with a therapist and a doctor and started to socially and medically transition, according to the Times.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 28, 2026

There was no stepfather in the picture yet, no baby brother crying in the night.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah