motherhouse

noun

moth·​er·​house ˈmə-t͟hər-ˌhau̇s How to pronounce motherhouse (audio)
1
: the convent in which the superior of a religious community resides
2
: the original convent of a religious community

Examples of motherhouse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The motherhouse is still located there today. Sharon Coolidge, The Enquirer, 21 July 2021 Villa Maria-Notch Cliff motherhouse in Glen Arm, which was necessary because the order’s numbers had dwindled. Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2022 The former motherhouse has since become the Glen Meadows Retirement Community. Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2022 The sisters converted Brackenridge’s former mansion, now known as Brackenridge Villa, into their first motherhouse, which also was home to the elementary and secondary school. René A. Guzman, San Antonio Express-News, 12 Jan. 2022 The Ursulines do not now have specific plans for the remainder of their 42-acre property, but have stated publicly a desire to develop the property upon which the former motherhouse stood before its demolition last year. cleveland, 3 Aug. 2021 Sister Reginald later lived at her order’s Baltimore County motherhouse and became the archivist. Jacques Kelly, baltimoresun.com, 14 Sep. 2020 The day the agreement was signed, a letter arrived at the motherhouse in San Antonio from Rome celebrating Laudato Si, the papal encyclical on the environment. Elaine Ayala, ExpressNews.com, 4 Aug. 2020 The cupola dome atop the former Nazareth motherhouse in Kalamazoo was removed Dec. 19, and remains wrapped up in front of the debris. Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2020

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

1661, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of motherhouse was in 1661

Dictionary Entries Near motherhouse

Cite this Entry

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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!