mother tongue

Definition of mother tonguenext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 tongue The notion of a mother tongue assumes that language functions as a common thread in families, tying parent to child. — Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026 From the start of his career, Fela aimed to reach a larger and Pan-African audience by singing almost exclusively in Nigerian Pidgin English (rather than his mother tongue, Yoruba, which doesn't translate throughout most of the continent). — Ian Brennan, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026 Playing off a six-language broadcast which means it can be viewed by 75% of Europeans in their mother tongue, Arte is still growing. — John Hopewell, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026 The group last delivered a full-length in its mother tongue, Be, in November 2020. — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 20 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mother tongue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mother tongue
Noun
  • Even as strong as the UNEP report is, the language of who does mitigation is so vague as to almost verge on the passive voice.
    — Stephanie Walton, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The ballot measure’s opponents have argued the language around broadband facilities is broad enough to include the controversial facilities.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 28 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Prada presented the skirt as a vocabulary, demonstrating the infinite possibilities that can emerge from an archetypal garment.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The setup is surely familiar to teachers of English as a second language all over the world, but the choice of vocabulary is a bit different from your typical classroom.
    — Will Collins, The Washington Examiner, 26 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • New asymmetrical Fieg and Asics branding features on the tongue and mustache, the former of which appears in the latter’s signature font, and a special Kith 15th anniversary graphic graces the insole.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Some Republicans are no longer holding their tongues about their concerns with Collins or his campaign.
    — Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Italy is a unique country where every city has its own identity, architecture, traditions, flavors, dialects and even different ways of life.
    — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Punic, the language of Carthage, was a dialect of Phoenician that was widely used in North Africa.
    — Scott Spires, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The first Velvet Underground album, the mid-period Beatles, Kinks, and Creedence Clearwater Revival records, with enough time, seem almost like different components to the same idiom.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Cinema is, after all, a language, and Belgian filmmakers come from a country built on the need to understand language as a bridge—between its regions, its people, and its idioms.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mother tongue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mother%20tongue. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

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