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
  • Corsica is often relegated to a cruise stop, particularly in Napoleon Bonaparte’s birthplace of Ajaccio on the western coast.
    Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Although China has a strong claim, many tend to cite ancient Greece as the birthplace of history as a discipline.
    Big Think, Big Think, 23 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
  • For audiences expecting a cradle-to-grave reckoning, that cutoff can feel abrupt.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Still, among the more than 100 billion people who have walked the Earth in human history, the Artemis II astronauts have ventured farther from the cradle than anyone else.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • This will be one of a record nine international games scheduled for the 2026 season, which will take place across four continents in seven countries.
    The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Italy’s navy chief of staff Giuseppe Berutti Bergotto told state broadcaster RAI this week that his country is ready to deploy up to four vessels to help clear the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters.
    Sarah Dean, NBC news, 25 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 30 Apr. 2026.

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