mother lode

noun

1
: the principal vein or lode of a region
2
: a principal source or supply

Examples of mother lode in a Sentence

the university has long been a mother lode of athletic talent, with many alumni joining the rarefied ranks of the professionals
Recent Examples on the Web From their inception, the Rockies have continually sought better pitching and seldom struck the mother lode. Chuck Murr, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2024 Being kind and realistic with themselves, finding time to connect with friends and nature, and asking for help are all ways to help manage the mother lode of stresses parents are under. Kara Alaimo, CNN, 1 Sep. 2024 And while researchers have made huge gains in fostering a greater understanding of these majestic creatures in recent decades, the use of AI may have just cracked open the mother lode of all puzzles: thier language. Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 7 June 2024 Halle Berry’s boyfriend, Van Hunt, gave his social media followers a mother lode of an eyeful on Mother’s Day. Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 13 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for mother lode 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mother lode.' 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

1863, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mother lode was in 1863

Dictionary Entries Near mother lode

Cite this Entry

“Mother lode.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mother%20lode. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

mother lode

noun
: the main vein or deposit of an ore (as gold) in a region
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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