mother

¹moth·er

noun \ˈmə-thər\

Definition of MOTHER

1

a : a female parent b (1) : a woman in authority; specifically : the superior of a religious community of women (2) : an old or elderly woman

2

: source, origin <necessity is the mother of invention>

3

: maternal tenderness or affection

4

[short for motherfucker] sometimes vulgar : motherfucker

5

: something that is an extreme or ultimate example of its kind especially in terms of scale <the mother of all construction projects>

— moth·er·hood \-ˌhu̇d\ noun

— moth·er·less \-ləs\ adjective

— moth·er·less·ness noun

Origin of MOTHER

Middle English moder, from Old English mōdor; akin to Old High German muoter mother, Latin mater, Greek mētēr, Sanskrit mātṛ

First Known Use: before 12th century