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 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 Korea, director Bong’s mother country, was our first choice in terms of where to debut the film. Patrick Frater, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024 In my mother country, all the tools of propaganda would keep painful truths at bay. Vadim Smyslov, WIRED, 21 Feb. 2024 Their sources of intelligence repeatedly assured British leaders that the great majority of the colonists remained loyal to the mother country. T.h. Breen, The New York Review of Books, 2 Feb. 2023 See All Example Sentences for mother country
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mother country
Noun
  • This vibrant event, a modern echo of ancient gatherings, powerfully announced a bold ambition: this historic city is not just a birthplace of civilization, democracy and innovation, but a rising force aiming to be Europe's next major startup hub.
    Timothy Papandreou, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
  • The 1920 census lists Martinez’s birthplace of record as Haiti.
    Chelsea Stieber, The Conversation, 14 May 2025
Noun
  • The curved, ribbed walls of their home were made using a 5-ton, three-dimensional printer that printed generated the entire wall system of their home in 12 days.
    Sarah Sekula, USA Today, 16 May 2025
  • In the woods near their home, Viggo runs while Oscar chases him.
    Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • This is a custom layer within the mattress designed to adapt and cradle sleepers at any position.
    Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 9 May 2025
  • Image Cardinal Parolin grew up in Schiavon, a small town in the northern Italian region of Veneto that is known as a cradle of popes.
    Jason Horowitz, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Noun
  • Bitcoin touched a record high above $111,000, and oil prices slid after Bloomberg said oil producing member countries, or OPEC+, are discussing a potential third consecutive oil production surge in July, with an output hike of 411,000 barrels a day among the options under consideration.
    Medora Lee, USA Today, 23 May 2025
  • By using the name of a monument for those not present, a monument with historical ties to ancient Greece and Egypt as well as our own culture, Brock highlights how honoring the dead goes beyond culture and country.
    James Dubinsky, JSTOR Daily, 22 May 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 28 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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