foremother

noun

fore·​moth·​er ˈfȯr-ˌmə-t͟hər How to pronounce foremother (audio)
: a female ancestor

Examples of foremother in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Through our hair and its many rituals, remain the herbalism of our foremothers in the new world, passing down their ingenuity of homemade balms, creams, and oils for hair growth. Eshe Ukweli, refinery29.com, 7 June 2023 In fact, precursors to modern bleaching processes didn’t come on the scene until the turn of the 20th century, leaving our foremothers and forefathers plenty of time to get creative with their blonde pursuits. Aj Willingham, CNN, 28 May 2023 The Houston exhibit, conceived by White and co-curator Jill Dawsey, explores Saint Phalle’s avant-garde status and how her resistance establishes her as a foremother of such contemporary artists as Tschabalala Self, Katie Stout, and Rachel Feinstein. Amarie Gipson, Town & Country, 4 Sep. 2021 The show is partly Star's love letter to the glamour of Paris (a city he's been enamored with since his teens), with a protagonist who embodies both the winningest and messiest instincts of her foremother, Carrie Bradshaw. Harper's BAZAAR, 10 Jan. 2023 No one emerges at the end of the book as entirely good or bad (save, perhaps, for Busia, Regan’s culinary foremother). Makana Eyre, Washington Post, 9 Jan. 2023 In a year when avant-pop stars such as Rosalía thrilled with volcanic vocals and cybernetic beats, their foremother dug in yet-stranger soil. Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 15 Dec. 2022 Taking inspiration from her literary foremother Zora Neale Hurston, Walker centers southern Black women, who are all too often misrepresented in American culture. Usa Today Staff, USA TODAY, 27 Sep. 2021 Ford borrows from her literary foremother Zora Neale Hurston — especially Hurston’s juxtaposition of happiness to intimacy with the sun. Darryl Robertson, USA TODAY, 31 May 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foremother.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foremother was in 1582

Dictionary Entries Near foremother

Cite this Entry

“Foremother.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foremother. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

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