mother

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. the place or thing that something else comes from.

n. the source, origin, or primary cause of something; often used in personifications like 'Mother Nature'.

“Necessity is often called the mother of invention.”

“The ancient city was considered the mother of all modern democratic institutions in the region.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Religion Formal

n. a title for a woman who is the head of a group of nuns.

n. a title of respect for a female superior of a religious house, such as an abbess.

“The sisters waited for Mother Superior to begin the morning prayer.”

“Mother Teresa became a global symbol of charity through her work with the poor in Calcutta.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal

n. something that is the biggest or most impressive of its kind.

n. an exceptionally large, powerful, or impressive example of something; frequently used in the construction 'the mother of all'.

“We got stuck in the mother of all traffic jams on the way home.”

“The storm was the mother of all blizzards, shutting down the entire eastern seaboard for three days.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Slang · Vulgar

n. a rude word used to show anger or surprise, shortened from a stronger insult.

n. a euphemistic shortening of 'motherfucker', used as an interjection or to refer to a difficult person or object.

“That was a tough mother of an exam.”

“He dropped the heavy crate on his toe and yelled 'you mother' before he could stop himself.”

C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Science Technical

n. a thick substance that grows in fermenting liquids like cider to turn them into vinegar.

n. a mucilaginous substance consisting of acetobacters that develops in fermenting alcoholic liquids.

“You can use the mother from this bottle to start your own vinegar.”

“The presence of the mother in the unpasteurised cider indicated that the fermentation process was progressing naturally.”

B1 · Intermediate

v. to look after someone with great care and affection, like a parent does.

v. to treat someone with the care, affection, or protection associated with a mother.

“She tends to mother her younger brother, even though he is now an adult.”

“The veteran nurse had a tendency to mother the new interns, ensuring they were well-fed during their long shifts.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to be the female parent who produces a child or offspring.

v. to bring forth or produce as a mother; to give birth to.

“The prize-winning cow has mothered six healthy calves.”

“She mothered three children while simultaneously managing a demanding career in international law.”