mother
/ˈmʌð.ər/
A1 noun Family
Image for the word mother
Listen & Repeat

Definition

noun

A female parent. The informal word is 'mum' (British English) or 'mom' (American English).

Grammar Notes

Countable noun. Plural: mothers. Informal equivalents: mum (UK), mom (US), mummy, mama. Common collocations: mother tongue (your first language), grandmother, mother-in-law, motherly.

Cultural Notes

Mother's Day (called Mothering Sunday in the UK) is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent in Britain, and in May in the US and Australia. 'Mother tongue' means the first language you learned as a child. 'Mother Nature' refers to the natural world personified as a woman.

Example Sentences

Example sentence image for mother

"My mother cooks dinner every evening."

Example sentence image for mother

"She calls her mother every Sunday."

Practice Quiz

1. In British English, the informal word for 'mother' is:
2. 'Mother tongue' means:

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