parent

1 of 2

noun

par·​ent ˈper-ənt How to pronounce parent (audio)
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 adjective
parentally adverb
parentless 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

Examples of parent in a Sentence

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
Nowadays, my Black Friday post-Turkey meal day is spent in front of my computer, shopping online deals at my parents' kitchen table with my morning coffee. Gabrielle Porcaro, Travel + Leisure, 24 Nov. 2023 Shark’s cordless vacuum is especially good for pet parents who sweep their floors regularly because the self-cleaning brushroll is designed to avoid hair wrapping. Alex Nelson, Peoplemag, 24 Nov. 2023 All In the Family: Billboard parent Penske Media Corporation promoted Brooke Jaffe to senior Vice President of public affairs and strategy, effective immediately. Marc Schneider, Billboard, 24 Nov. 2023 Believe it or not, meal kits make great gifts for everyone, especially for busy parents who can use a break from meal prepping, recent graduates who are spending too much on take out, a best friend who dreads cooking for themselves, or a foodie who wants to try new recipes. Shanna Shipin, Glamour, 24 Nov. 2023 Right now, there isn’t a whole lot parents can do to make sure their children’s food isn’t contaminated with lead, beyond regularly checking the FDA’s recall page, Breeher said. Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News, 24 Nov. 2023 Therapy is the ideal place for your parents to discuss this challenging issue. Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 23 Nov. 2023 Breastfeeding has a protective effect against severe RSV Breastfeeding isn't an option for all parents, as some may choose not to breastfeed or cannot breastfeed for a variety of reasons. Dr. Jade Cobern, ABC News, 23 Nov. 2023 That’s why having a good vacuum is essential for pet parents. Lauren Taylor, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Nov. 2023
Verb
All Together Now In 2019, the dad of four opened up to The New York Times about how parenting his kids differed. Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 24 Nov. 2023 And before kids, this Dad was going to avoid using Santa or bribes—all of which are considered out of vogue these days in some corners of parenting social media. Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 20 Nov. 2023 That brings us to iShares 0-5 Year High-Yield Corporate Bond ETF, parented by the investment giant BlackRock. Chris Taylor, wsj.com, 7 Nov. 2023 We are expected to know how to do it all—relationships, careers, homemaking, hobbies—but especially parenting, as though good parenting is biologically encoded in a mother’s DNA. Sarah Twombly, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2023 These days, Rinaldi and her husband juggle parenting a 5-month-old with their respective jobs. Zoe Glasser, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2023 While speaking with The Guardian, the Rolling Stones frontman, 80, discussed parenting his son Deveraux, 6, and how his experience with fatherhood has changed over the years. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 24 Oct. 2023 Bravo for your openness to this experience, especially after parenting under an umbrella of fear for the last two years. Emily Edlynn, Parents, 23 Oct. 2023 Police reports made from Ruby Franke's home address in Utah detail various troubles at the parenting blogger's home since 2020 — three years before she and her business partner were each arrested on six counts of child abuse. Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 14 Oct. 2023 See More

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

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of parent was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near parent

Cite this Entry

“Parent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parent. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.

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- How to pronounce parent (audio)
1
: one that begets or brings forth offspring
2
: the material or source from which something is derived
parent adjective
parental 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 adjective
parentally adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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