Thesaurus:mother

Thesaurus

mother

English

Noun

Sense: woman who has, conceives, gives birth to, or raises a child

Synonyms

• dam (obsolete)
• mater (formal)
• matriarch
• mother
• Mother
•   —

Colloquial or slang synonyms:

• ma (Irish, Scouse, US)
• mam (Northumberland)
• mama
• mamaw
• mamma
• mammaw
• mammy
• mamsie
• mamsy
• meemaw
• memaw
• mom (informal, US)
• Mom (informal, US)
• moms (AAVE)
• momma (US)
• mommy (US, childish)
• Mommy (US, childish)
• momsy (US)
• motherling (diminutive, affectionate)
• mum (British)
• Mum (British)
• mummy (British, childish)
• Mummy (British, childish)
• mumsy (British)
• mutha (Geordie)
• old lady (somewhat derogatory)

Antonyms

• father    [⇒ thesaurus]

Hyponyms

• birth mother
• genitrix
• genitor
•   —
• adoptive mother
• grandmother    [⇒ thesaurus]
• gymslip mum (British, slang)
• helicopter mom
• mama bear
• mama grizzly
• security mom (US)
• soccer mom
• supermom
• supermum
• surrogate mother
• tiger mother
•   —

Mother-in-law:

• mother-in-law
• ma-in-law (colloquial)
• mom-in-law (US, informal)
• mother-out-law
• mum-in-law (British, informal)
• shviger (US slang)
•   —

Stepmother:

• stepmother
• stepma (colloquial)
• stepmam (Northumberland, informal)
• stepmama (colloquial)
• stepmamma (colloquial)
• stepmom (US, informal)
• stepmomma (US, informal)
• stepmommy (US, informal)
• stepmum (British, informal)
• stepmummy (British, informal)

Hypernyms

• foster
• guardian
• parent
• relative    [⇒ thesaurus]
• woman    [⇒ thesaurus]

Various

• materfamilias

Further reading

• “166. paternity” in Roget's Thesaurus, T. Y. Crowell Co., 1911.
• “mother” in Moby Thesaurus II, Grady Ward, 1996.
• Use frequencies of some of the synonyms at Google Ngram Viewer