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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 the Appendix of Indo-European roots. N., sense 10, translation of Iraqi Arabic 'umm. N., sense 11, short for MOTHERFUCKER.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
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 MOTHER1) of obsolete Dutch moeder, from Middle Dutch, probably from moeder, mother of children; see māter- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
