Word
daughter
Phoneticsdaugh·ter, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdɔtɝ/
UK/dˈɔːtɐ/
Definitions
01female child
A1 · Beginner Countable noun
n. your female child.
n. a female offspring in relation to her parents.
日本語:娘※
“They have two sons and one daughter who just started university.”
“The couple took great pride in their daughter's academic achievements, especially when she was awarded a full scholarship to study medicine.”
Antonyms
02physics/science
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Science Technical
n. something that is produced from a starting substance, like in radioactive decay.
n. an atom or nuclide formed by the radioactive decay of another atom.
Español:hija
“The scientists measured the amount of the daughter element to find the age of the rock.”
“By calculating the ratio between the parent isotope and its daughter product, geologists can determine the precise age of volcanic strata.”
Usage
Often used as a modifier, as in 'daughter cell' or 'daughter isotope'.
Antonyms
03linguistics
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Academic
n. a language that developed from an older language.
n. a language that descends from a common ancestor through a process of genetic relationship.
“French and Italian are daughter languages of Latin.”
“Historical linguists track phonological shifts to demonstrate how various daughter languages diverged from their Proto-Indo-European ancestor.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
04informal address
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Informal · Dialect
n. a way for an older person to speak to a younger woman.
n. a familiar or patronising form of address to a female person from an older or authoritative figure.
“Don't you worry about that, daughter, it will all be fine.”
“The old shopkeeper's habit of addressing every female customer as 'daughter' was seen by some as charming and by others as patronising.”
Teaching tip
This usage can be perceived as condescending or sexist in modern professional contexts; it is best avoided by learners.
Real-World Examples
“Los Angeles (AP) — Actor Hayden Panettiere’s ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko has filed an urgent petition asking that he be allowed to act as their 11-year-old daughter’s temporary representative in California court to protect her inheritance after the death of her mother.” “The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughter said the holiday honoring her father’s legacy comes as “somewhat of a saving grace” this year.” “The daughter of ex-Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai said her father would devote himself to God and his family rather than political activism if freed.” “Nearly two years after a successful kidney transplant, a Louisiana mother and daughter shared one more journey together — walking across a stage and graduating, side-by-side, from the Baton Rouge General School of Nursing.” Etymology
From Middle English doghter, doughter, from Old English dohtor (“daughter”), from Proto-West Germanic dohter, from Proto-Germanic duhtēr, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰugh₂tḗr.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Related words
Idioms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/daughter
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0