SINCE 1828
allomother
noun
al·lo·moth·er
| \ ˈa-lə-ˌmə-t͟hər
\
\
plural allomothers
Definition of allomother
: an individual other than the biological mother of an offspring that performs the functions of a mother (as by caring for an infant temporarily)
The allomother suckled the second infant for two and one-half minutes before it was retrieved by its own mother.— Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, The Langurs of Abu: Female and Male Strategies of Reproduction, 1980 … by five months of age, babies spend more time with allomothers than with their own mother …— Claudia R. Valeggia, in Substitute Parents: Biological and Social Perspectives on Alloparenting, 2009
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on allomother
What made you want to look up allomother? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
What did you just call me?! A Quiz
-
- If a member of the audience describes your speech as bombastic, does that person mean it is:
Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Share allomother
Resources for allomother