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 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 Diplomatically, Canada balanced between its mother country, the United Kingdom, and its southern neighbor, the emerging superpower. Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 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
  • Lots of opportunities remain with newer technologies, including the onshore Digboi, Assam region, which was the birthplace of India’s oil sector, but has little activity today.
    Jordan Blum, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Cure, which opened in 2009, is both record-keeper and innovator, an admirable endeavor in a city that is the birthplace of the cocktail.
    Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Getting his first opening-day start with the Cubs made Thursday’s pregame journey to the home bullpen under the left-field bleachers extra special.
    Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Court records indicate Frederick did not live at the home where the boy was discovered.
    Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Humankind is bound to become a space-faring species, expanding beyond the bounds of Mother Earth, just as it, millions of years ago, spread out of its cradle in Africa.
    Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 27 Mar. 2026
  • According to a Chef Rotanak Ros The Cambodian celeb chef known as Chef Nak shares her recipe for an invigorating weekend in the cradle of Khmer cuisine.
    Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Wadephul told reporters on Thusday at a meeting of democratic countries with the largest economies in France that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin was hoping to use the Iran war as a distraction from his attack on Ukraine.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Visitors from more than 100 countries are expected to attend the three-day festival.
    Abby Dodge, CBS News, 28 Mar. 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 2 Apr. 2026.

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