mother country

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 The world premiere by Burlingame playwright Geetha Reddy starts off as an HR dispute about sexism at an aerospace company, only to tap into centuries-old resentments dating from Indian immigrant employees’ mother country. Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Feb. 2026 Even so, Maduro’s ouster gave her a lot of hope for her mother country. Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026 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 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 See All Example Sentences for mother country
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mother country
Noun
  • The are many annual jazz festivals around the world, but the one known to millions as simply Jazz Fest is the one held every April in jazz’s spiritual birthplace.
    Al Shipley, SPIN, 21 Apr. 2026
  • That is why small rooms so often become the birthplace of the next thing.
    Seth Yudof, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • As a child performing with his brothers at the family home in Gary, Indiana, young Michael (Juliano Krue Valdi) is beaten by his father, Joe (Colman Domingo), who demands obedience along with musical discipline.
    Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Explore making home improvements with the help of others.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • If accurate, those findings might hint that the shroud is indeed from the Levant, an area considered to have been the cradle of Christianity and the setting of both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.
    Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Freemasons in the cradle of liberty Philadelphia was the country’s political center during the American Revolution, which began in 1775.
    Derek Arnold, The Conversation, 6 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Canadian police say Law is suspected of sending at least 1,200 packages to more than 40 countries.
    ABC News, ABC News, 18 Apr. 2026
  • But neither Iran nor countries acting as intermediaries in the conflict have said Tehran has made such an agreement.
    Melanie Lidman, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 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 24 Apr. 2026.

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