son

1 of 2

noun

Synonyms of sonnext
1
a
: a human male offspring especially of human beings
b
: a male adopted child
c
: a human male descendant
2
Son : the second person of the Trinity
3
: a person closely associated with or deriving from a formative agent (such as a nation, school, or race)
sonhood noun

son-

2 of 2

combining form

variants or sono-
: sound
sonic
sonogram

Examples of son in a Sentence

Noun She gave birth to a son. They have two sons and a daughter. He is the son of a lawyer and a doctor. the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The 64-year-old had come from Oklahoma with his wife and son to walk up the 56 steps next to Sinking Spring, a sinkhole opening to a karst aquifer from which Lincoln first drank. Chris Kenning, USA Today, 2 July 2026 Both Faulstich and the couple’s son, Matt Gates, praised their father’s commitment to routine, both in keeping up the tradition of the Peachtree Road Race and life in general. Andre Butso, AJC.com, 2 July 2026 Estevan Soto, son of Ines and Elizabeth Soto, was one of a few people who read statements on behalf of their family members at the press conference. Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 July 2026 In the couple's children, Melendez Mendoza says her son's legacy lives on. Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for son

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sone, from Old English sunu; akin to Old High German sun son, Greek hyios

Combining form

Latin sonus sound

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of son was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Son.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/son. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

son

noun
1
a
: a male offspring especially of human parents
b
: a human male descendant
2
capitalized : the second person of the Trinity
3
: a man or boy closely associated with or thought of as a child of something (as a country, race, or religion)

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