English Reference
noun · verb

father

n. · v.
US /ˈfɑðɝ/ UK /fˈɑːðɐ/ fa·ther UK spelling father's, father's, fathered, fathering

  1. 01 A1 Beginner

    n.a man who has a child.

    n.a male parent, whether through biological siring, adoption, or legal guardianship.

    Simple

    My father taught me how to ride a bike when I was six years old.

    In context

    After the ceremony, her father walked her down the aisle, visibly moved by the significance of the occasion.

  2. 02 B1 Intermediate Formal Religion

    n.a title used for a priest in some Christian churches.

    n.a formal title and form of address for a priest, particularly within the Catholic, Orthodox, or Anglican traditions.

    Simple

    We asked Father O'Malley to say a prayer for the sick.

    In context

    The parishioners waited outside the chapel to speak with Father Thomas after the morning service had concluded.

  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate

    n.a man who starts or creates something important, like a new idea or a country.

    n.a man who originates or is a pioneering figure in a specific field, movement, or nation.

    Simple

    He is often called the father of modern medicine because of his discoveries.

    In context

    The university dedicated a statue to the founding father of the physics department, acknowledging his decades of groundbreaking research.

  4. 04 C2 Proficiency Technical Computing

    n.an older version of a computer file that was used to make the current one.

    n.the version of a file or data set that immediately precedes the current version in a generational backup system.

    Simple

    If the current file is corrupted, we can recover the data from the father file.

    In context

    The system administrator implemented a grandfather-father-son rotation scheme to ensure multiple levels of data redundancy.

    son
  5. 05 C1 Advanced FormalLiterary

    v.to become the biological father of a child.

    v.to procreate as the male parent; to sire offspring.

    Simple

    The king hoped to father a son who would take over the throne.

    In context

    Historical records suggest that the nobleman fathered several children with his first wife before her untimely death.

    sirebeget
  6. 06 C1 Advanced Literary

    v.to be the person who starts an idea or a plan.

    v.to originate or give rise to an idea, movement, or project.

    Simple

    His early research fathered a whole new way of thinking about biology.

    In context

    The philosopher's radical essays fathered a political movement that would eventually reshape the entire region.

Usage father partner · father of two


See father.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level A1 · Beginner
Frequency Very common
Updated