as in language
the stock of words, pronunciation, and grammar used by a people as their basic means of communication
although the anthropologist could speak the local language fairly well, she was always glad to find someone who shared her mother tongue
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Recent Examples of mother tongue
The ones who needed to leave their mother tongue in order to find their true voice.
—
Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
While many nations have codified their mother tongue—France with French, Japan with Japanese, or Mexico with Spanish—America has always relied on practice and practicality rather than statute.
—Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Japanese is the only language that leaves Li’s mouth, but her occasional inner monologues are in her mother tongue, the most crucial example expressing her growing conflict with the very act of writing itself.
—Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 17 Aug. 2025
Many countries offer visas for language learning, which are student visas specifically designed for people interested in studying the mother tongue of a destination.
—Solo Travel, AFAR Media, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mother tongue
Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
While many nations have codified their mother tongue—France with French, Japan with Japanese, or Mexico with Spanish—America has always relied on practice and practicality rather than statute.
—Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Japanese is the only language that leaves Li’s mouth, but her occasional inner monologues are in her mother tongue, the most crucial example expressing her growing conflict with the very act of writing itself.
—Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 17 Aug. 2025
Many countries offer visas for language learning, which are student visas specifically designed for people interested in studying the mother tongue of a destination.
—Solo Travel, AFAR Media, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mother tongue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mother tongue
Noun
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If a conversation thread gets confusing, rewrite the key points in plain language.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
17 Mar. 2026
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Trump has also asked that Republicans tack on language restricting transgender surgeries and transgender participation in women’s sports — two policies that Republicans successfully used as a political wedge against Democrats in the last election cycle.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The sounds that weren’t just popularized by Whole Lotta Red, but also, SoFaygo and Ken Carson’s first couple of albums and Destroy Lonely, are just the vocabulary of the underground now.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
13 Mar. 2026
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Gender Queer supplies this missing vocabulary in clear and accessible language that will resonate with trans readers of any age, while also making these experiences legible to those who haven’t shared them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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One passage depicts the Bonnie-and-Clyde-like notoriety of Frank and the Bride, leading ordinary women to adopt her wild hairdo and goth makeup (including what are evidently meant to be burns on her mouth and tongue from all that electricity).—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
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In addition to his signature tongue, Simmons is known for his brash personality.—
Daysia Tolentino,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The gambit that Shelley somehow comes to possess her fictional creation is sustained, as Ida alternates between a very American dialect and a more high-toned British accent.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
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Having a few weeks of rehearsal ahead of filming helped McEwen and Kidman to establish the similarities in their performances, as did work with Kidman’s dialect coach.—
Emily Zemler,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This further underscored the symbiotic relationship between Humphreys and smooth jazz, an idiom not held in high regard by the person booking the concerts.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
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Those books introduced me to a vision of American teenage life and taught me the rhythms and idioms of American English, nuances that would later replace my Britishisms and shape my career as a journalist.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mother tongue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mother%20tongue. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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