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n. 1. One's female child. 2. A female descendant. 3. A woman considered as if in a relationship of child to parent: a daughter of the nation. 4. One that is personified or regarded as a female descendant: "Culturally Japan is a daughter of Chinese civilization" (Edwin O. Reischauer). 5. The immediate product of the radioactive decay of an element. adj. 1. Possessing the characteristics of a daughter; having the relationship of a daughter. 2. Of or relating to a cell, organelle, or other structure produced by division or replication: daughter cell; daughter DNA. 3. Produced by or resulting from the decay of a radioactive element: daughter atom; daughter nuclide. [Middle English doughter, from Old English dohtor; see dhugəter- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] daughter·ly adj. |
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