parent

1 of 2

noun

par·​ent ˈper-ənt 

1

a

: one that begets or brings forth offspring

just became parents of twins

b

: a person who brings up and cares for another

foster parents

2

a

: an animal or plant that is regarded in relation to its offspring

The parent brings food to the chicks.

b

: the material or source from which something is derived

Latin is the parent of several languages.

c

: a group from which another arises and to which it usually remains subsidiary

a parent company

parent adjective

parental

pə-ˈren-tᵊl 

adjective

parentally

pə-ˈren-tᵊl-ē 

adverb

parentless

ˈper-ənt-ləs 

adjective

parent

2 of 2

verb

parented; parenting; parents

transitive verb

: to be or act as the parent of : originate, produce

intransitive verb

: to be or act as a parent

Example Sentences

Noun

My parents live in New York.

The form must be signed by a parent or guardian of the child.

The parent brings food to the chicks.

The new plant will have characteristics of both parent plants.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The parents had been attending church services, the police department said. —Dennis Romero, NBC News, 31 May 2023

She was accompanied by her parents and husband Billy Evans. —Luke Barr, ABC News, 30 May 2023

The newborn, its parents and Moke also live with a 41-year-old female named Mandara and her 14-year-old daughter, Kibibi. —Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 30 May 2023

Health authorities quickly removed the girls from the parents, accusing the latter of seeking to exploit their novelty. —Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2023

Another bill, still in committee at the time, promised to eliminate most zoning restrictions within half a mile of every BART station, so that every house in my parents’ neighborhood could in theory be torn down and replaced with apartment buildings. —Daniel Duane, New York Times, 30 May 2023

And that was by a kind and beautiful woman who seemed to know her parents, could answer all the questions and is clearly not a stranger, and gave her life advice that seemed very well-intentioned. —Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 May 2023

Kadeem was born and raised in Mattapan, the neighborhood’s heavy Caribbean population making the area a home away from home for his Jamaican parents. —Max Bell, SPIN, 30 May 2023

Faith Pinho: The fact is, Paulina’s custody hearing would affect more than the two girls and their parents. —The Foretold Team, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2023

Verb

The prominence of Armstrong’s blog also kicked off what would become a national discussion on the role of children in parenting content online. —Taylor Lorenz, Washington Post, 10 May 2023

The nonprofit’s signature program, Street of Dreams, is an arts education and college bridge program for teen mothers at Lindsay Community School, an education partnership with Children of the Rainbow for pregnant and parenting teens in ninth through 12th grades. —Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2023

There was an actual relationship that went on, Arthur parenting me in my distress. —Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2023

Who knew a movie adapted from parenting book Queen Bees and Wannabes would result in one of the most beloved movies of our generation? —Stacey Grant, Seventeen, 12 May 2023

Handmade in Los Angeles, the limited-edition piece benefits Zajfen’s organization, which supports Alliance for Children’s Rights’ work with pregnant and parenting youth in the Los Angeles foster care system. —Lindzi Scharf, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 May 2023

Duke has experienced pregnancy and parenting herself and has family members who are in long-term recovery as well. —Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Courier-Journal, 28 Apr. 2023

Jimmy deals with parenting his teenage daughter, who wants to go on a group date. —Olivia Mccormack, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2023

Bonding with children at the start of life is how fathers grow empowered to parent them throughout their development. —David Oliver, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin parent-, parens "father or mother, progenitor, ancestor," probably from an aorist participle of parere "to give birth to, bring into being, produce" — more at parturient entry 1

Verb

derivative of parent entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1663, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing parent

• birth/biological parent
• birth parent
• foster parent
• parent-in-law
• helicopter parent
• parent-teacher association
• single parent
• adoptive parent

• birth/biological parent
• birth parent
• foster parent
• parent-in-law
• helicopter parent
• parent-teacher association
• single parent
• adoptive parent

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Kids Definition

parent

noun

par·​ent

ˈpar-ənt,

ˈper-

1

a

: one that is a father or mother

b

: an animal or plant that produces offspring

2

: the original source of something

parent adjective

parenthood

-ˌhu̇d

noun

Medical Definition

parent

noun

par·​ent ˈpar-ənt, ˈper- 

1

: one that begets or brings forth offspring

2

: the material or source from which something is derived

parent adjective

parental

pə-ˈrent-ᵊl 

adjective

Legal Definition

parent

noun

par·​ent

1

a

: a person who begets or brings forth offspring

especially : the natural parents of a child born of their marriage

b

: a person who legally adopts a child

c

: a person or entity that owes to a child a legally imposed duty of support

d

: a stepparent where designated by statute

2

: an entity or group that gives rise to or acquires another usually subsidiary entity or group

a parent company

specifically : a corporation that owns a required minimum percentage of the stock of another corporation compare affiliate

parent adjective

parental

pə-ˈren-təl 

adjective

parentally adverb