mother
/ˈmʌðər/
noun
Origin
Proto-Indo-European
*méh₂tēr — mother
Overview
Meaning Now
- A female parent.
- A woman in relation to her child or children.
- Something that gives rise to or exercises control over something else.
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
mōdor
Earliest period
Old English period
Journey
The word is one of the most stable terms in the Indo-European language family, showing cognates in almost every major branch, reflecting the fundamental importance of the maternal figure in human society.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*méh₂tēr
“mother”
- Proto-Germanic
*mōdēr
“mother”
- Old English
mōdor
“mother”
- Middle English
moder
“mother”
Connections
Word parts
mother
root
female parent
Related across languages
Latin
māter
mother
Ancient Greek
mētēr
mother
Sanskrit
mātṛ
mother
Explore next
Related to mother
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.