daughter

noun daugh·ter \ ˈdȯ-tər , ˈdä- \

|Updated on: 20 Jun 2018

Examples: daughter in a Sentence

Definition of daughter

1 anthropology

a : a female offspring especially of human parents

b : a female adopted child

c : a human female descendant

2 : something considered as a daughter

the United States is a daughter of Great Britain

3 chemistry : an atomic species (see ¹species 1e) that is the product of the radioactive decay (see ²decay 6a) of a given element

radon, the daughter of radium

—

daughterless

play \-ləs\ adjective

See daughter defined for English-language learners

See daughter defined for kids

Examples of daughter in a Sentence

We have a daughter and two sons.

Recent Examples of daughter from the Web

Gaffigan's children include sons Jack, 12, Michael, 7, and Patrick, 6, and daughters Marre, 13, and Katie, 9.

— sonja haller, USA TODAY, "Jim Gaffigan jokes his 5 kids don't exactly love 'special daddy and me time'," 17 June 2018
The two were married for 16 years and have three daughters together.

— sarah midkiff, refinery29.com, "It's The Royal Family's First Same Sex Wedding," 17 June 2018
King, 44, was a single mother of two adult children and a 7-year-old daughter.

— lynn horsley and katie bernard, kansascity, "'Heroes are never forgotten.' Officials, friends, family remember slain deputies," 17 June 2018
In November, the defendants paid the woman's two juvenile daughters a $375,000 settlement, court records show.

— tom jackman, chicagotribune.com, "Paul Manafort checks into VIP section at Virginia jail where Chris Brown, Michael Vick also did time," 16 June 2018
On Friday morning, rain was an unexpected guest, keeping the Hoffmans’ daughters, Claire, 7, and Katelyn, 4, cooped up in the coach, where their father was trying to rest for an afternoon tee time.

— karen crouse, New York Times, "By Land or by Sea, U.S. Open Golfers Got Creative About Their Lodging," 16 June 2018
Father and daughter can use Jesse's help with the dogs and other projects.

— nancy lord, Anchorage Daily News, "Anchorage novelist tells a gothic tale set among dog mushers in Interior Alaska," 16 June 2018
That included Luis Giraldez, who sat at a patio table with his mother, father, wife and two daughters.

— elena weissmann, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Soccer fans gather at Nomad Nacional to drink beer, do yoga and watch the World Cup," 16 June 2018
McCarthy had a 13-year-old daughter who lived with his parents, according to media reports.

— anita chabria, sacbee, "Sacramento police offer $50,000 for information about triple homicide cold case," 15 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'daughter.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of daughter

Middle English, doughter, from Old English dohtor; akin to Old High German tohter daughter, Greek thygatēr

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

daughter

adjective

Definition of daughter

1 : having the characteristics or relationship of a daughter (see ¹daughter 1)

2 biology : belonging to the first generation of offspring, organelles, or molecules produced by reproduction, division, or replication

a daughter cell

daughter DNA molecules

Origin and Etymology of daughter

see ¹daughter

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1610

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Genetics Terms

chimera, hermaphrodite, plasticity

DAUGHTER Defined for English Language Learners

daughter

noun

Definition of daughter for English Language Learners

: a female child

DAUGHTER Defined for Kids

daughter

noun daugh·ter \ ˈdȯ-tər \

Definition of daughter for Students

1 : a female child or offspring

2 : a woman or girl associated with or thought of as a child of something (as a country, race, or religion)

The book tells the stories of two daughters of Africa.

Medical Dictionary

daughter

noun daugh·ter \ ˈdȯt-ər \

medical Definition of daughter

1 a : a human female having the relation of child to a parent

b : a female offspring of an animal

2 : an atomic species that is the product of the radioactive decay of a given element

radon is the daughter of radium

daughter

adjective

medical Definition of daughter

1 : having the characteristics or relationship of a daughter

2 : belonging to the first generation of offspring, organelles, or molecules produced by reproduction, division, or replication

a daughter cell

daughter chromosomes

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daughter

Definition of daughter

daughterless

Examples of daughter in a Sentence

Recent Examples of daughter from the Web

Origin and Etymology of daughter

daughter

Definition of daughter

Origin and Etymology of daughter

Other Genetics Terms

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DAUGHTER Defined for English Language Learners

daughter

Definition of daughter for English Language Learners

DAUGHTER Defined for Kids

daughter

Definition of daughter for Students

Medical Dictionary

daughter

medical Definition of daughter

daughter

medical Definition of daughter

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