stepmother

American  

[step-muhth-er] / ˈstɛpˌmʌð ər /

noun

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

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stepmother British  

/ ˈstɛpˌmʌðə /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

• stepmotherliness noun
• stepmotherly adverb

Etymology

Origin of stepmother

First recorded before 900; Middle English stepmoder, Old English stēopmōdor; step- + mother ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

My tone may sound alarmist, but it’s my attempt to be realistic, especially based on the number of letters I receive from and about stepmothers in this column.

From MarketWatch

"She spends 90% of her time in her bedroom," her stepmother said.

From BBC

I popped open my laptop and called my father and stepmother to help scour for flights.

From The Wall Street Journal

Well, my stepmother just passed from cancer, and we’re all a very close family.

From Los Angeles Times

John and Debbie Perry, Perry’s father and stepmother, addressed Plasencia directly in their letter, writing that their son’s recovery “counted on you saying NO.”

From Los Angeles Times