Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense fathers, present participle fathering, past tense, past participle fathered
1. countable noun
Your father is your male parent. You can also call someone your father if he brings you up as if he was this man. You can call your father 'Father'.
His father was a painter.
He would be a good father to my children.
...Mr Stoneman, a father of five.
Synonyms: daddy [informal], dad [informal], male parent, patriarch More Synonyms of father
2. verb
When a man fathers a child, he makes a woman pregnant and their child is born.
She claims Mark fathered her child. [VERB noun]
He fathered four children by different women. [V n + by]
3. countable noun
The man who invented or started something is sometimes referred to as the father of that thing.
...Max Dupain, regarded as the father of modern photography. [+ of]
Synonyms: founder, author, maker, architect More Synonyms of father
4. countable noun & title noun
In some Christian churches, priests are addressed or referred to as Father.
I would like your advice on a matter of conscience, Father.
...Father William.
5. proper noun [ourN; N-VOC]
Christians often refer to God as our Father or address him as Father.
...Our Father in Heaven.
More Synonyms of father
father in British English
(ˈfɑːðə)
noun
1.
a male parent
2.
a person who founds a line or family; forefather
3.
any male acting in a paternal capacity
▶ Related adjective: paternal
4. (often capital)
a respectful term of address for an old man
5.
a male who originates something
the father of modern psychology
6.
a leader of an association, council, etc; elder
a city father
7. British
the eldest or most senior member in a society, profession, etc
father of the bar
8. (often plural)
a senator or patrician in ancient Rome
9. the father of
verb(transitive)
10.
to procreate or generate (offspring); beget
11.
to create, found, originate, etc
12.
to act as a father to
13.
to acknowledge oneself as father or originator of
14. (foll byon or upon)
to impose or place without a just reason
Derived forms
fathering (ˈfathering)
noun
Word origin
Old English fæder; related to Old Norse fathir, Old Frisian feder, Old High German fater, Latin pater, Greek patēr, Sanskrit pitr
Father in British English
(ˈfɑːðə)
noun
1.
God, esp when considered as the first person of the Christian Trinity
2. Also called: Church Father
any of the writers on Christian doctrine of the pre-Scholastic period
3.
a title used for Christian priests
father in American English
(ˈfɑðər)
noun
1.
a man who has begotten a child; esp., a man as he is related to his child or children
2.
a.
a stepfather
b.
an adoptive father
c.
a father-in-law
3.
the male parent of a plant or animal
4.
a person regarded as a male parent; protector
5. [F-]; Epithet
God, or God as the first person in the Trinity
6.
a forefather; ancestor
usually used in pl.
7.
an originator, founder, or inventor
8.
any man deserving of respect or reverence because of age, position, etc.
9.
a senator of ancient Rome
10.
any of the leaders of a city, assembly, etc.
usually used in pl.
11. [oftenF-]
any of the early Christian religious writers considered reliable authorities on the doctrines and teachings of the Church
12. [oftenF-]
a Christian priest
, used esp. as a title
verb transitive
13.
to be the father of; beget
14.
to look after or care for as a father does
15.
to bring into being; found, originate, or invent
16.
to take the responsibility for
17.
to impose improperly as a responsibility; foist
the mistake was fathered on him
Word origin
ME fader < OE fæder, akin to ON fathir, OHG fater, Goth fadar < IE *pətḗr > L pater, Gr patēr, Sans pitár: ult. origin prob. echoic of baby talk, as in papa, Hindi bābū
Examples of 'father' in a sentence
father
Your father cannot take punches for you.
The Sun (2017)
My birth father likes to tell me to study hard and listen to my mum and dad.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
The father of three is now in a critical condition in a makeshift field clinic.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
My father was also in considerable pain with his knee due to the extra walking.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Perhaps were afraid of losing your father, family life.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
My father just didn't care about any of that.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
It was tough for my mom because she was a single parent and my father didn't treat her too good.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
A devoted husband and father, he often had his family join him on location.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
His father says the family had'shut down to just existing and surviving '.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
His father and family are very proud of him.
The Sun (2011)
The modern father is said to be in crisis.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Or do we lack something that our fathers and mothers had?
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The early results suggest that males that carry weeds and sticks tend to father more offspring.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Is it still just anything his father fancies?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The married father of three says he finds time in his busy schedule to play village cricket.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He remembers arguments between his father and other members of the family.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Fathers are also less positive about their relationships than are childless men.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Evidence shows youngsters do better when fathers take an interest in their education.
The Sun (2011)
The law recognizes and grants legal rights and privileges to biological fathers.
Martin, April The Guide to Lesbian and Gay Parenting (1993)
He was almost like a second father and his advice was always sound.
The Sun (2014)
The married father of five took on the challenge and steered the society from danger.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
My father was a painter and decorator and my mother worked in a hospital.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
He is a cool rider like his father.
The Sun (2013)
When you are earning more in a week than your father sometimes earns in a year.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
My mother was a very creative person and my father was always in the office.
The Sun (2009)
It's a saying my father quoted.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
His grandfather was a union leader and his father a long-serving police officer.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It was found by a man while he was helping his elderly mother to clear out her belongings after the death of his father.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
My father's parents raised me.
Herman, Judith Lewis Trauma and Recovery (1992)
He says: 'My father was very critical and away a lot.
The Sun (2010)
Quotations
Honour thy father and thy motherBible: Exodus
'Tis happy for him, that his father was before himJonathan SwiftPolite Conversation
No man is responsible for his father. That is entirely his mother's affairMargaret TurnbullAlabaster Lamps
No man can know who was his fatherHomerOdyssey
It's all any reasonable child can expect if the dad is present at the conceptionJoe OrtonEntertaining Mr. Sloane
It is a wise father that knows his own childWilliam ShakespeareThe Merchant of Venice
Like father like son
In other languages
father
British English: father /ˈfɑːðə/ NOUN
Your father is your male parent.
His father was a painter.
American English: father
Arabic: أَب
Brazilian Portuguese: pai
Chinese: 父亲
Croatian: otac
Czech: otec
Danish: far
Dutch: vader
European Spanish: padre
Finnish: isä
French: père
German: Vater
Greek: πατέρας
Italian: padre
Japanese: 父
Korean: 아버지
Norwegian: far
Polish: ojciec
European Portuguese: pai
Romanian: tată
Russian: отец
Latin American Spanish: padre
Swedish: far förälder
Thai: พ่อ
Turkish: baba
Ukrainian: батько
Vietnamese: bố
All related terms of 'father'
city father
a person who is active or prominent in the public affairs of a city, such as an alderman
Father Time
time personified as an old bearded man , usually carrying a scythe and an hourglass
Holy Father
In the Catholic Church , the Holy Father is the Pope.
lone father
a father with no wife or partner , who is bringing up a child or children
Our Father
another name for the Lord's Prayer , taken from its opening words
birth father
the man whose semen fertilized the ovum from which a child was born
Church Father
any of the writers on Christian doctrine of the pre-Scholastic period
father figure
If you describe someone as a father figure , you mean that you feel able to turn to that person for advice and support in the same way that you might turn to your father.
father image
a person substituted in one's mind for one's father and often the object of emotions felt toward the father
father lasher
a large sea scorpion , Myoxocephalus scorpius , occurring in British and European coastal waters
foster father
a man who looks after or brings up a child or children as a father , in place of the natural or adoptive father
single father
a father who has a dependent child or dependent children and who is widowed , divorced , or unmarried
Father's Day
Father's Day is the third Sunday in June, when children give cards and presents to their fathers to show that they love them.
founding father
The founding father of an institution, organization , or idea is the person who sets it up or who first develops it.
Heavenly Father
a term used to address or refer to God
nursing father
a man who looks after or brings up a child or children as a father , in place of the natural or adoptive father
biological father
the man whose semen fertilized the ovum from which a child was born
Father Christmas
Father Christmas is the name given to an imaginary old man with a long white beard and a red coat . Traditionally, young children in many countries are told that he brings their Christmas presents .
father confessor
a priest who hears confessions and advises on religious or moral matters
father-in-law
Someone's father-in-law is the father of their husband or wife.
father substitute
a male who replaces an absent father and becomes an object of attachment
the father of
a very large, severe , etc, example of a specified kind
Great White Father
the president of the U.S.
how's-your-father
sexual intercourse
Old Father Time
time personified
stepfather
Someone's stepfather is the man who has married their mother after the death or divorce of their father.
father of the chapel
(in British trade unions in the publishing and printing industries ) a shop steward
Father of the House
(in Britain ) the longest-serving member of the House of Commons
short-spined sea scorpion
a large sea scorpion , Myoxocephalus scorpius , occurring in British and European coastal waters
FoC
father of the chapel
Santa Claus
Santa Claus or Santa is an imaginary old man with a long white beard and a red coat . Traditionally, young children in many countries are told that he brings their Christmas presents.
Chinese translation of 'father'
father
(ˈfɑːðəʳ)
n(c)
(= parent) 父亲(親) (fùqīn) (位, wèi)
(fig, = originator) 鼻祖 (bízǔ)
⇒ the father of modern photography现代摄影艺术的鼻祖 (xiàndài shèyǐng yìshù de bízǔ)
(Rel) 神父 (shénfù)
⇒ Father William神父威廉 (shénfù Wēilián)
Fr.
(Rel)
abbr
(= father) 神父 (shénfù)
All related terms of 'father'
Fr.
father 神父 shénfù
Father Christmas
圣(聖)诞(誕)老人 Shèngdàn lǎorén [ 美 = Santa Claus ]
father-in-law
( of woman ) 公公 gōnggong
founding father
( Hist : in US ) 开(開)国(國)者 kāiguózhě
his alcoholic father
他那嗜酒成瘾(癮)的父亲(親) tā nà shì jiǔ chéng yǐn de fùqīn
1 (noun)
Definition
a male parent
He was a good father to my children.
Synonyms
daddy (informal)
dad (informal)
He's living with his mum and dad.
male parent
patriarch
pop (US, informal)
governor (informal)
old man (British, informal)
My old man used to work down the mines.
pa (informal)
old boy (informal)
papa (old-fashioned, informal)
sire
pater (old-fashioned)
biological father
foster father
begetter
paterfamilias
birth father
2 (noun)
Definition
a man who starts, creates, or invents something
He was the father of modern photography.
Synonyms
founder
She was the founder of the medical faculty.
author
the authors of the plan
maker
architect
the country's chief architect of economic reform
creator
George Lucas, the creator of the Star Wars films
inventor
the inventor of the telephone
originator
the originator of the theory of relativity
prime mover
initiator
3 (noun)
Definition
a person who founds a line or family
land of my fathers
Synonyms
forefather
They went back to the land of their forefathers.
predecessor
opportunities our predecessors never had
ancestor
He could trace his ancestors back seven hundred years.
forebear
I'll come back to the land of my forebears.
progenitor
the Arabian stallions which were the progenitors of all modern thoroughbreds
tupuna or tipuna (New Zealand)
4 (noun)
Definition
a leader of an association or council
City fathers tried to revive the town's economy.
Synonyms
leader
senator
elder
He is now an elder of the village church.
patron
patriarch
the patriarch of the clan
guiding light
city father
kaumatua (New Zealand)
1 (verb)
Definition
(of a man) to be the biological cause of the conception and birth of (a child)
He fathered three children.
Synonyms
sire
parent
conceive
bring to life
beget
He wanted to beget an heir.
procreate (formal)
Most people feel a biological need to procreate.
bring into being
give life to
get
2 (verb)
He fathered the modern computer.
Synonyms
originate
No-one knows who originated this story.
found
He founded the Centre for Journalism Studies.
create
He's creating a whole new language of painting.
establish
They established the school in 1989.
author
institute
We will institute a number of methods to improve safety.
invent
He invented the first electric clock.
engender
the desire to engender children
related words
related adjectivepaternal
Quotations
Honour thy father and thy mother [Bible: Exodus]'Tis happy for him, that his father was before him [Jonathan Swift – Polite Conversation]No man is responsible for his father. That is entirely his mother's affair [Margaret Turnbull – Alabaster Lamps]No man can know who was his father [Homer – Odyssey]It's all any reasonable child can expect if the dad is present at the conception [Joe Orton – Entertaining Mr. Sloane]It is a wise father that knows his own child [William Shakespeare – The Merchant of Venice]
proverb
Like father like son
1 (noun)
Definition
a title used for Christian priests
The prior, Father Alessandro, came over to talk to them.
Synonyms
priest
He had trained to be a Catholic priest.
minister
My father was a Baptist minister.
vicar
the vicar of the local parish
parson
At that time, the parish did not have a resident parson.
pastor
the pastor of the local Episcopalian church
cleric
churchman
padre (informal)
Many soldiers found the padre a comforting presence.
confessor
abbé
curé
man of God
2 (noun)
Definition
God
Our Father in Heaven.
Synonyms
God
Lord
Creator
Almighty God
living God
Holy One
eternal God
Additional synonyms
in the sense of ancestor
Definition
a person in former times from whom one is descended
He could trace his ancestors back seven hundred years.
Synonyms
forefather,
predecessor,
precursor,
forerunner,
forebear,
antecedent,
progenitor,
tupuna or tipuna (New Zealand)
in the sense of architect
Definition
any planner or creator
the country's chief architect of economic reform
Synonyms
creator,
father,
shaper,
engineer,
author,
maker,
designer,
founder,
deviser,
planner,
inventor,
contriver,
originator,
prime mover,
instigator,
initiator
in the sense of author
Definition
an originator or creator
the authors of the plan
Synonyms
creator,
father,
mother,
parent,
maker,
producer,
framer,
designer,
founder,
architect,
planner,
inventor,
mover,
originator,
prime mover,
doer,
initiator,
begetter,
fabricator
Synonyms of 'father'
father
Explore 'father' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of predecessor
Definition
an ancestor
opportunities our predecessors never had
Synonyms
ancestor,
forebear,
antecedent,
forefather,
tupuna or tipuna (New Zealand)
in the sense of procreate
Definition
to produce (offspring)
Most people feel a biological need to procreate.
Synonyms
reproduce,
mother,
produce,
father,
breed,
generate,
sire,
engender,
propagate,
beget,
bring into being
in the sense of progenitor
Definition
a direct ancestor
the Arabian stallions which were the progenitors of all modern thoroughbreds