a female parent who gives birth to or raises a child, a woman who provides care and protection to someone or something

like mother, like daughter, a face only a mother could love, to be a mother hen

working mother, mother tongue, mother lode

Formal and Informal Expressions of mother

In different contexts, you can replace 'mother' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'female parent' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'mom, mum, mommy, ma, mama' is a commonplace synonym.

mother: Explore its Definition & Usage

mother Definition

1a female parent who gives birth to or raises a child
2a woman who provides care and protection to someone or something

Using mother: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "mother" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
My mother is a doctor.
Example
She acted as a mother to the orphaned children.
Example
The mother bird was feeding her chicks.
Example
The company is like a mother to its employees.

mother Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for mother

Idioms Using mother

like mother, like daughter
daughters tend to behave like their mothers
Example
She has the same sense of humor as her mother. Like mother, like daughter.
a face only a mother could love
a face that is considered unattractive by most people
Example
He's not conventionally handsome, but his mother thinks he's the most handsome man in the world. A face only a mother could love.
to be a mother hen
to be overprotective and overly concerned about someone's welfare
Example
She's always fussing over her friends, making sure they're okay. She's such a mother hen.

Phrases with mother

working mother
a mother who works outside the home while also raising her children
Example
Being a working mother can be challenging, but it's also rewarding.
mother tongue
the language that a person has grown up speaking from early childhood
Example
Her mother tongue is Spanish, but she is fluent in English as well.
mother lode
a principal vein or zone of gold or silver ore, or colloquially the real/abundant source of something valuable or in great abundance
Example
The discovery of the mother lode brought a rush of prospectors to the area.

Origins of mother

from Middle English 'moder', from Old English 'mōdor', of Germanic origin

📌

Summary: mother in Brief

The term 'mother' [ˈmʌðər] refers to a female parent who gives birth to or raises a child, or a woman who provides care and protection to someone or something. It includes phrases like 'working mother' and 'mother tongue,' and idioms like 'like mother, like daughter,' which implies daughters tend to behave like their mothers. The phrase 'a face only a mother could love' denotes an unattractive face, and 'to be a mother hen' means to be overprotective.