stepmother

American  

[step-muhth-er] / ˈstɛpˌmʌð ər /

noun

stepmothers plural

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

Derived Forms

• stepmotherliness
  noun
• stepmotherly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• stepmothers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of stepmother

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

Example Sentences

Shaw said she could still recall the moment she and her crying stepmother confronted the thief and asked him if he had any idea what it was like to lose a child.

From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026

The video was recorded by Chiu’s stepmother, who witnessed the bear from a distance, he wrote in the caption.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

Only in Folan’s late teens did she find a more nurturing home life with her father and stepmother in Katonah, N.Y.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

A stepmother or stepfather may promise their spouse the world while both parties are living, but have a change of heart the day after their spouse’s funeral.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

And after that began to wind down my father and my stepmother moved toward us.

From "Gone Crazy in Alabama" by Rita Williams-Garcia