daughter

1 of 2

noun

daugh·​ter ˈdȯ-tər 

ˈdä-

plural daughters

1

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 species entry 1 sense 1e) that is the product of the radioactive decay (see decay entry 2 sense 5a) of a given element

radon, the daughter of radium

daughterhood

ˈdȯ-tər-ˌhu̇d 

ˈdä-

noun

daughterless

ˈdȯ-tər-ləs 

ˈdä-

adjective

daughter

2 of 2

adjective

1

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

Examples of daughter in a Sentence

Noun

We have a daughter and two sons.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Jaxon’s foster mother pleaded no contest in 2014 to felony child endangerment after drunken driving with her 1-year-old daughter in the back seat. —Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026

Pulido’s daughter Maritza Pulido is suing the county for wrongful death. —City News Service, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026

The passage is from Book II of the epic poem, in which Homer cataloged the Greek ships that came to do battle with Troy after Helen, the queen of Sparta and a daughter of Zeus, was taken there by Paris, the son of the king of Troy. —Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026

Take the quiz here … TINSELTOWN TAKEDOWN — Jack Nicholson's daughter exposes how the rich and powerful really live in Hollywood. —FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

Adjective

from attributive use of daughter entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

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

Adjective

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing daughter

• daughter-in-law
• prodigal son/daughter

Rhymes for daughter

• blotter
• cotter
• hotter
• mater
• otter
• plotter
• rotter
• slaughter
• spotter
• squatter
• totter
• trotter

Kids Definition

daughter

1 of 2 noun

daugh·​ter ˈdȯt-ər 

1

a

: a female offspring especially of parents that are human beings

b

: a female adopted child

2

: something considered as a daughter

3

: a form of an element that is the product of the radioactive decay of another element

daughterly

-lē

adjective

daughter

2 of 2 adjective

1

: having the characteristics or relationship of a daughter

daughter cities

2

: being first generation offspring

daughter cells

Medical Definition

daughter

1 of 2 noun

daugh·​ter ˈdȯt-ər 

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

2 of 2 adjective

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