'Mother' definitions:
Definition of 'mother'
From: WordNet
noun
A woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother); "the mother of three children" [syn: mother, female parent] [ant: begetter, father, male parent]
noun
A stringy slimy substance consisting of yeast cells and bacteria; forms during fermentation and is added to cider or wine to produce vinegar
noun
A term of address for an elderly woman
noun
A term of address for a mother superior
noun
A condition that is the inspiration for an activity or situation; "necessity is the mother of invention"
verb
Care for like a mother; "She fusses over her husband" [syn: mother, fuss, overprotect]
verb
Definition of 'Mother'
From: GCIDE
- Mother \Moth"er\, n. [Akin to D. modder mud, G. moder mold, mud, Dan. mudder mud, and to E. mud. See Mud.] A film or membrane which is developed on the surface of fermented alcoholic liquids, such as vinegar, wine, etc., and acts as a means of conveying the oxygen of the air to the alcohol and other combustible principles of the liquid, thus leading to their oxidation. [1913 Webster]
- Note: The film is composed of a mass of rapidly developing microorganisms of the genus Mycoderma, and in the mother of vinegar the microorganisms ({Mycoderma aceti}) composing the film are the active agents in the Conversion of the alcohol into vinegar. When thickened by growth, the film may settle to the bottom of the fluid. See Acetous fermentation, under Fermentation. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Mother'
From: GCIDE
- Mother \Moth"er\, a. Received by birth or from ancestors; native, natural; as, mother language; also acting the part, or having the place of a mother; producing others; originating. [1913 Webster]
- It is the mother falsehood from which all idolatry is derived. --T. Arnold. [1913 Webster]
- Mother cell (Biol.), a cell which, by endogenous divisions, gives rise to other cells (daughter cells); a parent cell.
- Mother church, the original church; a church from which other churches have sprung; as, the mother church of a diocese.
- Mother country, the country of one's parents or ancestors; the country from which the people of a colony derive their origin.
- Mother liquor (Chem.), the impure or complex residual solution which remains after the salts readily or regularly crystallizing have been removed.
- Mother queen, the mother of a reigning sovereign; a queen mother.
- Mother tongue. (a) A language from which another language has had its origin. (b) The language of one's native land; native tongue.
- Mother water. See Mother liquor (above).
- Mother wit, natural or native wit or intelligence. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Mother'
From: GCIDE
- Mother \Moth"er\ (m[u^][th]"[~e]r), n. [OE. moder, AS. m[=o]dor; akin to D. moeder, OS. m[=o]dar, G. mutter, OHG. muotar, Icel. m[=o][eth]ir, Dan. & Sw. moder, OSlav. mati, Russ. mate, Ir. & Gael. mathair, L. mater, Gr. mh`thr, Skr. m[=a]t[.r]; cf. Skr. m[=a] to measure. [root]268. Cf. Material, Matrix, Metropolis, Father.]
- 1. A female parent; especially, one of the human race; a woman who has borne a child. [1913 Webster]
- 2. That which has produced or nurtured anything; source of birth or origin; generatrix. [1913 Webster]
- Alas! poor country! . . . it can not Be called our mother, but our grave. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- I behold . . . the solitary majesty of Crete, mother of a religion, it is said, that lived two thousand years. --Landor. [1913 Webster]
- 3. An old woman or matron. [Familiar] [1913 Webster]
- 4. The female superior or head of a religious house, as an abbess, etc. [1913 Webster]
- 5. Hysterical passion; hysteria. [Obs.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- Mother Carey's chicken (Zool.), any one of several species of small petrels, as the stormy petrel ({Procellaria pelagica}), and Leach's petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa), both of the Atlantic, and Oceanodroma furcata of the North Pacific.
- Mother Carey's goose (Zool.), the giant fulmar of the Pacific. See Fulmar.
- Mother's mark (Med.), a congenital mark upon the body; a birthmark; a naevus. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Mother'
From: GCIDE
Definition of 'Mother'
From: GCIDE
- Mother \Moth"er\, v. i. To become like, or full of, mother, or thick matter, as vinegar. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'mother'
From: GCIDE
- Mauther \Mau"ther\ (m[add]"[th][~e]r), n. [Cf. AS. maeg[thorn] a maid.] [Also spelled mawther, mother.] A girl; esp., a great, awkward girl; a wench. [Prov. Eng.] [1913 Webster]
Words containing 'Mother'
- Mothered,
- Mothering,
- Motherly,
- Foster mother,
- Great Mother,
- Mother Goose,
- Mother cell,
- Mother church,
- Mother country,
- Mother liquor,
- Mother of God,
- Mother of vinegar,
- Mother queen,
- Mother tongue,
- Mother water,
- Mother wit,
- Mother's Day,
- Mother's mark,
- Queen mother,
- Surrogate mother,
- den mother,
- earth mother,
- mother board,
- mother figure,
- mother hen,
- mother hubbard,
- mother jones,
- mother lode,
- mother of thyme,
- mother seton,
- mother superior,
- mother teresa,
- mother theresa,
- mother's boy,
- mother's daughter,
- mother's milk,
- mother's son,
- Eel-mother,
- Mother Carey's chicken,
- Mother Carey's goose,
- Mother-in-law,
- Mother-naked,
- Mother-of-pearl,
- Mother-of-thyme,
- foster-mother,
- mother carey's hen,
- mother-of-thousands,
- spore mother cell,
- mother-in-law plant,
- mother-in-law's tongue,
- mother-of-pearl cloud