mother country

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 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 Veins branching along my skin like the waterways of my mother country. Lauren Vuong, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025 Still, many colonists had not seriously considered separating from the mother country—until a history-making pamphlet was published in the City of Brotherly Love on January 10, 1776. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2025 The prime minister of Greenland called on the country to strive for greater independence from its mother country, Denmark, in a New Year’s address delivered this week, in light of the controversy surrounding President-elect Donald Trump’s calls for the U.S. to purchase the island. Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 3 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mother country
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mother country
Noun
  • But despite his global dominance, Armani — who died at age 91 on September 4 — will be honored for the last time in a private funeral ceremony away from the spotlight and near his birthplace.
    Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The iconic New York music venue CBGB is the ultimate contrast as the noted birthplace of American punk rock music.
    Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This guide will give you the full scoop on when and how often to test soil, and provide soil testing tips for home and lab-based testing.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Many of these homes come equipped with enough amenities to comfortably live in, along with additional perks like outfitted bathrooms, solar panels, and outdoor spaces.
    Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • However, looking deep into these swirling cradles of planet formation has always been tricky.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2025
  • That success reshaped global conservation practice and earned the park its reputation as the cradle of rhino conservation.
    Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appealed for foreign fighters to join his country’s International Legion, which supplements the army’s ranks to counter Russia’s incursion.
    Rebecca Johns, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Dryden also represented his country several times, most notably helping Team Canada defeat the Soviet Union in the 1972 Summit Series.
    Jesse Granger, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mother country.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mother%20country. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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