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Definitions

mother

[muhth-er] / ˈmʌð ər /
NOUN
female person who has borne children
Synonyms
STRONGEST
mom parent
STRONG
ancestor creator mommy origin predecessor progenitor source
WEAK
child-bearer forebearer procreator
Antonyms
STRONG
descendant effect end result
WEAK
father

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for mother?
There are many synonyms for mother. The most common is mom, which is an informal, familiar version of mother. The equivalent mum is commonly used in the U.K. and other places. An even more informal and familiar word is mommy, which is especially used by children. A similarly informal word is mama (and its alternate spellings momma and mamma). All of these terms should be capitalized when they’re used as a way of addressing someone (in other words, when they’re used as a name or a substitute for a name). A mother is a parent. A term that specifically references the role of a mother in bearing a child is child-bearer. The term birthing parent is sometimes used as a gender-neutral term in the context of pregnancy and childbirth. A mother who’s the leader of a family might be called a matriarch. Because mothers are traditionally associated with nurture and caregiving, related words are sometimes used as synonyms, such as nurturer and caregiver. Mother is also sometimes used as a verb meaning to care for someone as a mother or like a mother. Sometimes, it’s used in a negative way that implies that a person is smothering or being overbearing toward the person, as in Please don’t mother me—I can take care of myself.
How do you use mother in a sentence?
Mother is most commonly used as a noun, but it can also be a verb. As a noun, it’s capitalized when it’s used as a name or a substitute for a name. Here are some examples of mother in a sentence:
  • I’ve always wanted to be a mother.
  • You should really listen to Mother—she has your best interests in mind.
  • It’s just her nature to try to mother anyone who looks like they need help.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

What’s Next: The restart of commercial missions with a mother ship and two Delta spaceships opens up the potential for $450 million in annual revenue across 125 flights, analysts at Jefferies said.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

Her son, Sean Walsh, said his mother had become ill very quickly.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

When Natalie meets her husband, Caleb, in a church group, he offers “what every good Christian girl back home claimed to want”: a farm near her mother and a gaggle of children.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

Suzanna’s problems include the apparent near-insolvency of her father upon his death—possibly jeopardizing her studies in psychology—and the untender mercies of her mother, Susan, played with delectable evil-queen imperiousness by Linda Emond.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

“I can’t stay away from the office forever. Your mother will be sad that she missed you.”

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.