mother

moth·er ¹

 (mŭth′ər)

n.

1.

a. A woman who gives birth to a child.

b. A woman whose egg unites with a sperm, producing an embryo.

c. A woman who adopts a child.

d. A woman who raises a child.

2. A female parent of an animal.

3. A female ancestor.

4. A woman who holds a position of authority or responsibility similar to that of a mother: a den mother.

5. Roman Catholic Church

a. A mother superior.

b. Used as a form of address for such a woman.

6. A woman who creates, originates, or founds something: "the discovery of radium, which made Marie Curie mother to the Atomic Age" (Alden Whitman).

7. A creative source; an origin: Philosophy is the mother of the sciences.

8. Used as a title for a woman respected for her wisdom and age.

9. Maternal love and tenderness: brought out the mother in her.

10. The biggest or most significant example of its kind: the mother of all battles.

11. Vulgar Slang Something considered extraordinary, as in disagreeableness, size, or intensity.

adj.

1. Relating to or being a mother.

2. Characteristic of a mother: mother love.

3. Being the source or origin: the mother church.

4. Derived from or as if from one's mother; native: one's mother language.

v. moth·ered, moth·er·ing, moth·ers

v.tr.

1.

a. To give birth to: mothered three children.

b. To be the source of; create or produce: "Necessity mothered the invention of printing" (Irving Wallace).

2. To act as mother to, as in nourishing and protecting.

v.intr.

To act or serve as a mother.

---

[Middle English moder, mother, from Old English mōdor; see māter- in Indo-European roots. N., sense 10, translation of Iraqi Arabic 'umm. N., sense 11, short for motherfucker.]

---

moth·er ²

 (mŭth′ər)

n.

A stringy slime composed of yeast cells and bacteria that forms on the surface of fermenting liquids and is added to wine or cider to start the production of vinegar.

---

[Probably alteration (influenced by mother) of obsolete Dutch moeder, from Middle Dutch, probably from moeder, mother of children; see māter- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

mother

(ˈmʌðə)

n

1. (Biology)

a. a female who has given birth to offspring

b. (as modifier): a mother bird.

2. (often capital, esp as a term of address) a person's own mother

3. a female substituting in the function of a mother

4. (often capital) chiefly archaic a term of address for an old woman

5.

a. motherly qualities, such as maternal affection: it appealed to the mother in her.

b. (as modifier): mother love.

c. (in combination): mothercraft.

6.

a. a female or thing that creates, nurtures, protects, etc, something

b. (as modifier): mother church; mother earth.

7. (Ecclesiastical Terms) a title given to certain members of female religious orders: mother superior.

8. (Ecclesiastical Terms) Christian Science God as the eternal Principle

9. (modifier) native or innate: mother wit.

10. taboo slang chiefly US short for motherfucker

11. be mother to pour the tea: I'll be mother.

12. the mother of all … informal the greatest example of its kind: the mother of all parties.

vb (tr)

13. (Biology) to give birth to or produce

14. to nurture, protect, etc as a mother

[Old English mōdor; compare Old Saxon mōdar, Old High German muotar, Latin māter, Greek mētēr]

ˈmothering n

---

mother

(ˈmʌðə)

n

(Brewing) a stringy slime containing various bacteria that forms on the surface of liquids undergoing acetous fermentation. It can be added to wine, cider, etc to promote vinegar formation. Also called: mother of vinegar

[C16: perhaps from mother¹, but compare Spanish madre scum, Dutch modder dregs, Middle Low German modder decaying object, mudde sludge]

ˈmothery adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

moth•er¹

(ˈmʌð ər)

n.

1. a female who has borne offspring; female parent.

2. (often cap.) one's own mother.

3. a mother-in-law, stepmother, adoptive mother, or foster mother.

4. a woman looked upon as a mother, or exercising authority like that of a mother.

5. a term of familiar address for an elderly woman.

6. the qualities characteristic of a mother, as maternal affection.

7. something that gives rise to or exercises protective care over something else.

8. mother superior.

adj.

9. being a mother: a mother bird.

10. pertaining to or characteristic of a mother: mother love.

11. derived from or as if from one's mother; native: his mother culture.

12. bearing a relation like that of a mother, as in being the origin, source, or protector: a mother church.

v.t.

13. to be the mother of.

14. to give origin or rise to.

15. to care for or protect like a mother.

[before 900; Middle English mother, moder, Old English mōdor; c. Old Frisian, Old Saxon mōdar, Old High German muotar, Latin māter, Greek mḗtēr, Skt mātar-]

moth′er•less, adj.

moth•er²

(ˈmʌð ər)

n.

a stringy, viscid film of yeast cells and various bacteria that forms on a fermenting liquid and is used to ferment other liquids, as in changing cider to vinegar.

[1530–40; perhaps identical with mother¹, but compare Dutch modder dregs, Middle Low German moder swampy land]

moth•er³

(ˈmʌð ər)

n. Slang: Sometimes Vulgar.

1. motherfucker.

2. a person or thing that is very large, powerful, or impressive.

[1930–35]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Mother

See also children; father; parents; pregnancy.

matriarchy

a system of social order wherein final authority is vested in the mother or eldest female and in which descent is reckoned in the female line. — matriarchal, adj.

matricentric

tending to move toward or centering upon the mother.

matricide

1. the killing of one’s mother.
2. one who has killed his mother. — matricidal, adj.

matriliny

tracing of descent through the mother’s side of a family. — matrilinear, adj.

momism

an excessive attachment and devotion of children to their mothers, resulting in a child’s dependence and failure to achieve emotional emancipation.

-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

mother

Past participle: mothered
Gerund: mothering

Imperative

mother

mother

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	mother - a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother); "the mother of three children" female parent ma, mama, mamma, mom, momma, mommy, mummy, mum, mammy - informal terms for a mother mater - an informal use of the Latin word for mother; sometimes used by British schoolboys or used facetiously mother-in-law - the mother of your spouse parent - a father or mother; one who begets or one who gives birth to or nurtures and raises a child; a relative who plays the role of guardian para I, primipara - (obstetrics) woman who has been delivered of a child for the first time puerpera - a woman in childbirth or shortly thereafter quadripara - (obstetrics) woman who has given birth to a viable infant in each of four pregnancies quintipara - (obstetrics) woman who has given birth to a viable infant in each of five pregnancies supermom - an informal term for a mother who can combine childcare and full-time employment surrogate mother - a woman who bears a child for a couple where the wife is unable to do so; "a surrogate mother is artificially inseminated with the father's semen and carries the fetus to term" begetter, father, male parent - a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father); "his father was born in Atlanta"
	2.	mother - a stringy slimy substance consisting of yeast cells and bacteria; forms during fermentation and is added to cider or wine to produce vinegar barm, yeast - a commercial leavening agent containing yeast cells; used to raise the dough in making bread and for fermenting beer or whiskey
	3.	mother - a term of address for an elderly woman old woman - a woman who is old
	4.	mother - a term of address for a mother superior abbess, mother superior, prioress - the superior of a group of nuns
	5.	mother - a condition that is the inspiration for an activity or situation; "necessity is the mother of invention" inspiration - arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity
Verb	1.	mother - care for like a mother; "She fusses over her husband" overprotect, fuss give care, care - provide care for; "The nurse was caring for the wounded"
	2.	mother - make children; "Abraham begot Isaac"; "Men often father children but don't recognize them" beget, father, sire, engender, generate, bring forth, get create, make - make or cause to be or to become; "make a mess in one's office"; "create a furor"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

mother

noun

1. female parent, mum (Brit. informal), ma (informal), mater, dam, old woman (informal), mom (U.S. informal), mummy (Brit. informal), old lady (informal), foster mother, birth mother, biological mother Mother and child form a close attachment.

2. wellspring, source, origin, inspiration, stimulus, fountain, genesis, fount Necessity is the mother of invention.

verb

1. give birth to, produce, bear, bring forth, drop She had dreamed of mothering a large family.

2. nurture, raise, protect, tend, nurse, rear, care for, cherish She felt a great need to mother him.

3. pamper, baby, spoil, indulge, fuss over, cosset, mollycoddle, overprotect Don't mother me!

adjective

1. native, natural, innate, inborn, connate He looks to Turkey as his mother country.

Related words
adjective maternal

Quotations
"So for the mother's sake the child was dear"
"And dearer was the mother for the child" [Samuel Taylor Coleridge `Sonnet to a Friend Who Asked How I Felt When the Nurse First Presented My Infant Child to Me']
"Honour thy mother and thy father" Bible:Exodus
"As is the mother, so is her daughter" Bible: Ezekiel
"All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That is his" [Oscar Wilde The Importance of Being Earnest]

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

mother

noun

1. A person from whom one is descended:

ancestor, antecedent, ascendant, father, forebear, forefather, foremother, parent, progenitor.

Archaic: predecessor.

2. A point of origination:

beginning, derivation, fount, fountain, fountainhead, origin, parent, provenance, provenience, root, rootstock, source, spring, well.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

mamoeder

أمأُماُمٌّتَعْتَني عِنايَة الأمرَئيسة دَيْر، الأم الرِّئيسَه

майка

mare

matkamatka představenámateřskýmateřsky pečovat

mor=-morabbedissemoder

Mutterbemuttern

μητέραμάνα

patrino

madreconsentircuidar como una madre

ema

مادر

äiti

mèredorloter

אֵם

majkamati

anyaanyáskodikfejedelemasszony

bundaibu

abbadís, forstöîukonaannast sem móîirmammamóðirmóîir

madremadre superioramammaavere grande curafar da mamma a

母お母さんママ

어머니엄마

matermaximus

motinamotiniškai prižiūrėtimotiniškumasnašlaitisperlamutras

māterūpēties kā mātei

അമ്മ

moeder

mormammamoder

matkamama

mãe

mamă

мамаматьродительницаматка

matkamatka predstavenámatersky sa starať

mati

majkamatmatermatirođenica

mormoder

mamamzazi

แม่มารดา

anneannelik yapmak/etmekbaş rahibeana

мати

mẹnuôinuôi nấngchăm sóc

母亲照管女主管人对女修道院院长的尊称

mother

[ˈmʌðəʳ]

A. N → madre f
to be like a mother to sb → ser como una madre para algn

B. VT (= care for) → cuidar como una madre; (= spoil) → mimar, consentir; (= give birth to) → parir, dar a luz

C. CPD mother country N → patria f; (more sentimentally) → madre patria f
Mother Earth N → la madre tierra
mother figure N → figura f materna, figura f de la madre
Mother Goose N → la Oca
mother hen N → gallina f madre
mother love N → amor m maternal
Mother Nature N → la madre f Naturaleza
Mother's Day N → Día m de la Madre
mother's help N → niñera f
mother ship N → buque m nodriza
Mother Superior N → madre f superiora
mother tongue N → lengua f materna

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

mother

[ˈmʌðə^r]

n

[child, animal] → mère f
my mother → ma mère

(= form of address) → maman
Hello, Mother → Bonjour, maman.

vt

(= look after) → s'occuper de
to be mothered (= looked after by a mother) → être pris(e) en charge par sa mère

(= pamper) → dorlotermother board n → carte-mère fmother country Mother Country n → mère patrie f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

mother

n

→ Mutter f; (= animal) → Muttertier nt, → Mutter f; (= address to elderly lady) → Mütterchen; Mother of God → Muttergottes f, → Mutter f → Gottes; a mother’s love → Mutterliebe f; she’s a mother of three → sie hat drei Kinder; she’s her mother’s daughter → sie ist wie ihre Mutter; I had the mother and father of a headache (inf) → ich hatte vielleicht Kopfschmerzen!; the mother of all battles/confrontations/traffic jams → die Mutter aller Kriege/Auseinandersetzungen/Staus; shall I be mother? (inf) (= pour tea) → soll ich eingießen?; (= serve food) → soll ich austeilen?

(US sl) → Arschloch nt (vulg), → Saftsack m (inf); a real mother of a day → ein Scheißtag m (inf)

attr → Mutter-; mother plant → Mutterpflanze f; mother bird → Vogelmutter f; mother hen → Glucke f

vt (= care for) young → auf- or großziehen; (= give birth to) → zur Welt bringen; (= cosset) → bemuttern

---

mother

:

motherboard

n (Comput) → Mutterplatine f, → Hauptplatine f

mother country

n (= native country) → Vaterland nt, → Heimat f; (= head of empire) → Mutterland nt

mothercraft

n → Kinderpflege f

mother earth

n → Mutter f → Erde

mother figure

n → Mutterfigur f

motherfucker

n (US vulg) → Arschloch nt (vulg), → Arschficker m (vulg)

motherfucking

adj (US vulg) → Scheiß- (sl)

motherhood

n → Mutterschaft f

---

mother

:

mother-in-law

n pl <mothers-in-law> → Schwiegermutter f

motherland

n (= native country) → Vaterland nt, → Heimat f; (= ancestral country) → Land nt → der Väter or Vorfahren

motherless

adj → mutterlos; he was left mother at the age of 2 → er verlor mit 2 Jahren seine Mutter

mother lode

n (Min) → Hauptader f

mother love

n → Mutterliebe f

---

mother

:

mother ship

n → Mutterschiff nt

mother superior

n → Mutter Oberin f

mother tie

n (Psych) → Mutterbindung f

mother-to-be

n pl <mothers-to-be> → werdende Mutter

mother tongue

n → Muttersprache f

mother wit

n → Mutterwitz m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

mother

[ˈmʌðəʳ]

1. n → madre f

2. vt (care for) → fare da madre a; (spoil) → essere troppo chioccia con

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

mother

(ˈmaðə) noun

1. a female parent, especially human. John's mother lives in Manchester; (also adjective) The mother bird feeds her young. moeder أُم майка mãe matka; mateřský die Mutter; Mutter-... mor; -mor μητέραmadre ema مادر äiti mère אִמָא माता, जननी majka anya ibu móðir madre, mamma 母 어머니 motina, patelė māte ibu moedermormatka مور mãe mamă мама, мать matka; materský mati majka moder, mor แม่ anne, ana 母親 мати ماں، والدہ mẹ 母亲

2. (often with capital. also Mother Superior) the female leader of a group of nuns. Moeder رَئيسة دَيْر، الأم الرِّئيسَه водачка на група монахини Madre matka představená Mutter abbedisse ηγουμένηmadre abtiss سر چشمه abbedissa Mère אֵם הַמִנזָר मदर časna majka fejedelemasszony Pemimpin Biarawati abbadís, forstöðukona Madre 女子修道院長 수녀원장 motina, vyresnioji māte pemimpin biarawati moeder-oversteabbedisse, mor matka przełożona سر چينه Madre Maică (stareţă) мать-настоятельница matka predstavená mati prednica Majka moder, abbedissa คุณแม่อธิการ Ana, baş rahibe 女修道院院長 ігуменя خانقاہ وغیرہ کی سربراہ خاتون Mẹ (tôn giáo) 女主管人（对女修道院院长的尊称）

verb

to care for as a mother does; to protect (sometimes too much). His wife tries to mother him. beskerm تَعْتَني عِنايَة الأم отглеждам proteger mateřsky pečovat (o) bemuttern være som en mor for φροντίζω σαν μάνα cuidar como una madre, criar emalikult hoolitsema مادرى کردن suojella dorloter לְטַפֵּל כְּמוֹ אִמָא मां की तरह ख्याल करना starati se materinski anyáskodik (vki felett) merawat annast sem móðir (fare da madre), (coccolare) 母のように世話する 어머니처럼 돌보다 motiniškai prižiūrėti rūpēties kā mātei mengambil berat seperti ibu bemoederen passe på som en mor; beskytte matkować مور ګلوى proteger a cocoloşi относиться по-матерински; лелеять matersky sa starať (o) po materinsko skrbeti čuvati kao majka vara som en mor för เลี้ยงดู annelik yapmak/etmek (像母親般地)照顧，保護(過度) ставитися по-материнському ماں کی طرح دیکھ بھال کرنا chăm sóc （母亲般地）照管

ˈmotherhood noun

the state of being a mother. moederskap أُمومَه майчинство maternidade mateřství die Mutterschaft moderskab μητρότηταmaternidad emadus مادرى äitiys maternité אִמָהוּת मातृत्व majčinstvo anyaság fungsi ibu það að vera móðir; móðurhlutverk maternità 母性 모성애 motinystė mātes stāvoklis keibuan moederschapmorskap, det å være mormacierzyństwo مور ګلوى maternidade maternitate материнство materstvo materinstvo majčinstvo moderskap ความเป็นแม่ annelik, analık 為人母 материнство امومت tình mẹ 母亲身份

ˈmotherless adjective

having no mother. The children were left motherless by the accident. moederloos بِدون أم، يَتيم без майка sem mãe bez matky mutterlos moderløs ορφανός από μητέρα huérfano de madre ematu بى مادر äiditön sans mère חֲסַר אֵם मातृहीन bez majke anyátlan (árva) tanpa ibu móðurlaus senza madre, orfano 母のない 어머니가 없는 be motinos, našlaitis bez mātes-; bārenis tidak ada ibu moederloosmorløs osierocony بى موره sem mãe orfan de mamă, fără mamă лишённый матери bez matky brez matere bez majke moderlös ซึ่งไม่มีแม่ annesiz 沒有母親的 позбавлений матері بغیر ماں کا mồ côi mẹ 没有母亲的

ˈmotherly adjective

like a mother; of, or suitable to, a mother. a motherly woman; motherly love. moederlik أُمومي، اُمَّهي майчински maternal mateřský mütterlich moderlig μητρικόςmaternal emalik مادرانه äidillinen maternel אִימָהִי मातृ-सुलभ, माता की भांति majčinski anyai keibuan móðurlegur materno 母のような 어머니처럼 motiniškas mātes-; mātišķs sifat ibu moederlijkmoderligmacierzyński مور غوندى maternal matern заботливый, нежный materský materinski majčinski moderlig อย่างแม่ anne gibi 母親般的，適合當母親的，母性的 материнський مادرانہ thuộc mẹ 母亲般的

ˈmotherliness noun

moederlikheid عَدَم وُجود أُم، يُتْم загриженост maternalismo mateřská láska die Mütterlichkeit moderlighed μητρική στοργή maternalismo, instinto maternal emalikkus صفت مادرى äidillisyys affection maternelle אימהות मातृसुलभता materinska ljubav anyaiasság, anyai szeretet sifat keibuan móðurást senso materno 母らしさ 어머니다움 motiniškumas mātišķums bersifat keibuan moederlijkheid moderlighet macierzyńskość د مور صفت maternalismo iubire maternă материнская заботливость/нежность materinská láska materinska skrb majčinstvo moderlighet ความเป็นแม่ ana gibi olma 宛如慈母 материнське піклування شفقت مادری sự mồ côi 慈母心

ˈmother-country, ˈmotherland (-land) nouns

the country where one was born. vaderland مَسْقِط الرِّأس، الوَطَن الأُم родина pátria mãe vlast das Vaterland fædreland πατρίδαpatria, madre patria sünnimaa کشور اصلى isänmaa patrie אֶרֶץ לֵידָה मातृ भूमि domovina haza tanah air ættjörð; föðurland patria, madrepatria 母国 모국 tėvynė dzimtene tanah air moederlandfedrelandojczyzna اصلى وطن mãe-pátria patrie родина, отчизна vlasť domovina domovina fosterland บ้านเกิด ana vatan, yurt 祖國 батьківщина مادر وطن nơi sinh 祖国

ˈmother-in-law – plural ˈmothers-in-law – noun

the mother of one's husband or wife. skoonma حَماة، أم الزَّوْج أو الزَّوْجَه тъща sogra tchyně die Schwiegermutter svigermor πεθεράsuegra ämm مادر شوهرو مادر زن anoppi belle-mèreחמות, חותנת सास punica, svekrva anyós ibu mertua tengdamóðir suocera 義母 장모, 시어머니 anyta, uoðvë vīramāte; sievasmāte emak mertua schoonmoederteściowa خواښى sogra soacră свекровь; теща svokra tašča tašta svärmor แม่สามี; แม่ภรรยา kayınvalide 岳母，婆婆 теща; свекруха ساس mẹ chồng, mẹ vợ 岳母，婆婆

ˌmother-of-ˈpearl noun, adjective

(of) the shining, hard, smooth substance on the inside of certain shells. perlemoer عِرْق لؤلُؤ، أم اللآلِئ седеф madrepérola perleť(ový) das Perlmutt perlemor φίλντισι madreperla, nácar pärlmutter(-) صدف مرواريد helmiäinen nacre אֵם הַפּנִינָה मुक्ता सीप sedef gyöngyház indung mutiara perlumóðir madreperla; di madreperla 真珠層 (の) 진주모의 perlamutras; perlamutrinis perlamutrs gewang paarlemoerperlemor macica perłowa مرواريد madrepérolaперламутр perleť; perleťový biserovina sedef pärlemor หอยมุก sedef 珠母貝，珠母貝的 перламутровий سیپ trai dùng để khảm 珍珠母

ˈmother-tongue noun

a person's native language. My mother-tongue is Hindi. moedertaal لُغَة الأم، لُغَة المَوْلِد майчин език língua natal mateřský jazyk die Muttersprache modersmål μητρική γλώσσαlengua materna emakeel زبان مادرى äidinkieli langue maternelle שׂפַת אֵם मातृ भाषा materinji jezik anyanyelv bahasa ibu móðurmál madrelingua 母国語 모국어 gimtoji kalba dzimtā valoda bahasa ibunda moedertaalmorsmåljęzyk ojczysty مورنى ژبه língua natal limbă maternă родной язык materinský jazyk materinščina maternji jezik modersmål ภาษาแม่ anadil 母語 рідна мова مادری زبان tiếng mẹ đẻ 母语

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

mother

→ اُمٌّ matka mor Mutter μητέρα madre äiti mère majka madre 母 어머니 moeder mor matka mãe мать mor แม่ anne mẹ 母亲

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

moth·er

n. madre, mamá.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

mother

n madre f; surrogate — madre sustituta or portadora

English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.