mother country

Definition of mother countrynext
1
as in birthplace
a place of origin Greece can boast to being the mother country of democracy

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2
as in home
the land of one's birth, residence, or citizenship even after decades of living in their adopted nation, they maintained a strong attachment to the mother country

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mother country Rich in mood and gripping in narrative, the book starred a protagonist who stood at odds with his mother country and the political apparatus consuming it. David Morgan, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2025 Diplomatically, Canada balanced between its mother country, the United Kingdom, and its southern neighbor, the emerging superpower. Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025 Since the condition of the Royal Navy was of prime importance to the British Parliament, during the colonial era that body passed several acts that sought to entice or compel colonists in British North America to produce naval stores for the benefit of the mother country. Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025 Reread Jefferson’s words in the Declaration of all the rights that King George III had denied his American subjects and forced them to break from the mother country. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mother country
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mother country
Noun
  • And as has been ARC’s tradition since the festival launched in 2021, the bill features a list of house music pioneers, with the festival itself intended to celebrate the city’s history as the genre’s birthplace.
    Katie Bain, Billboard, 10 Mar. 2026
  • St Andrews, Scotland The birthplace of golf, and the town where Prince William and Kate fell in love during college, should be on every adult’s bucket list.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Moïse, who said she was born and raised in Haiti and had lived at the family home since 2015, described having as many as 30 to 50 guards around the home at all times.
    Tania Francois, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2026
  • On March 4, North Miami Beach police officers rushed to a 911 call of a teen lying on the ground at a home.
    Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • North County is considered to be the cradle of skateboarding, which has grown from its rough around the edges beginnings into a billion dollar industry where icons like Tony Hawk have become global celebrities.
    Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
  • The integrated foam handles and foot cradles offer comfort and versatility.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The workers in Mississippi often voice the same complaints that many South Africans have about their country, such as its sluggish economy and widespread crime.
    Boyce Upholt, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
  • His vow to keep up attacks on other Arab countries in the region and plans to choke off the world's oil supply were headlines.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mother country.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mother%20country. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

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