# mothership

/ˈməðɝˌʃɪp/ (US) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mothership
Updated: 2026-10-12

## Definition

a large ship or aircraft that carries and controls smaller ones. In business, it can also mean the main office or headquarters of a company.

For teachers: a large vessel or spacecraft that serves as a base for smaller, shorter-range craft. Often used metaphorically to describe a central hub or the primary headquarters of an organization.

## Examples

- The small drones returned to the mothership to recharge.
- After years of working in regional branches, she was finally promoted to a position at the corporate mothership in London.
- Science fiction often depicts the mothership as a massive, central command center capable of deploying hundreds of smaller fighters during an interstellar engagement.

## Usage notes

- Commonly used in science fiction contexts or as a corporate metaphor for a central headquarters.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.