Mother

Mother, muth′ėr, n. a female parent, esp. one of the human race: a woman in relation to her child: a matron: that which has produced anything: the female head of a religious house: a familiar term of address to an old woman.—adj. received by birth, as it were from one's mother: natural: acting the part of a mother: originating.—v.t. to adopt as a son or daughter.—ns. Moth′er-church, the church from which others have sprung; Moth′er-coun′try, -land, the country of one's birth: the country from which a colony has gone out; Moth′erhood, state of being a mother; Moth′ering, a rural English custom of visiting one's parents on Mid-Lent Sunday; Moth′er-in-law, the mother of one's husband or wife.—adj. Moth′erless, without a mother.—n. Moth′erliness.—adj. Moth′erly, pertaining to, or becoming, a mother: like a mother: parental: tender.—ns. Moth′er-of-pearl′, the nacreous internal layer of the shells of several molluscs, esp. of the pearl-oyster, so called because producing the pearl; Moth′er's-mark, a birth-mark; Moth′er-tongue, a person's native language: a language from which another has its origin; Moth′er-wa′ter, the residual liquid remaining after the chemical substances it contained have been crystallised or precipitated; Moth′er-wit, native wit: common-sense; Moth′er-wort, a labiate plant growing in waste places; Queen′-moth′er, the mother of a reigning sovereign.—Mother Carey's chicken, the stormy petrel, or other bird of the same family; Mother-Hubbard, a woman's loose flowing gown, like that proper to the nursery heroine.—Every mother's son, all, without exception. [A.S. móder; Dut. moeder, Ice. móðir, Ger. mutter, Ir. and Gael. mathair, L. mater, Gr. mētēr, Sans, mátá, mátri.]