ENGLISH
REFERENCE

mater

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈmætɝ// UK //mˈeɪtɐ// mater Archaic Humorous Slang

n. an old-fashioned and slightly funny way to say 'mother'. It is mostly used by people from wealthy or upper-class backgrounds in Britain.

n. a humorous or affectionate term for one's mother. Chiefly British and associated with upper-class sociolects; often used in a self-consciously archaic or ironic manner.


SIMPLE

I must write a letter to my dear mater this evening.

CONTEXTUAL

He joked that his mater would never approve of him wearing such a casual outfit to dinner.

COMPLEX

The protagonist's frequent references to his mater and pater immediately established his posh upbringing and somewhat detached relationship with the modern world.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Latin māter (“mother”), partly via Late Middle English matere. Doublet of mata and mother. Ancestor of matrix.

Etymology 2

From mate + -er.

Etymology 3

See 'mater.

Usage

Typically used with a possessive pronoun like 'my' or 'his'.

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