mothered


moth·er 1

M0437800 (mŭth′ər)n.1. a. A woman who gives birth to a child.b. A woman whose egg unites with a sperm, producing an embryo.c. A woman who adopts a child.d. A woman who raises a child.2. A female parent of an animal.3. A female ancestor.4. A woman who holds a position of authority or responsibility similar to that of a mother: a den mother.5. Roman Catholic Church a. A mother superior.b. Used as a form of address for such a woman.6. A woman who creates, originates, or founds something: "the discovery of radium, which made Marie Curie mother to the Atomic Age" (Alden Whitman).7. A creative source; an origin: Philosophy is the mother of the sciences.8. Used as a title for a woman respected for her wisdom and age.9. Maternal love and tenderness: brought out the mother in her.10. The biggest or most significant example of its kind: the mother of all battles.11. Vulgar Slang Something considered extraordinary, as in disagreeableness, size, or intensity.adj.1. Relating to or being a mother.2. Characteristic of a mother: mother love.3. Being the source or origin: the mother church.4. Derived from or as if from one's mother; native: one's mother language.v. moth·ered, moth·er·ing, moth·ers v.tr.1. a. To give birth to: mothered three children.b. To be the source of; create or produce: "Necessity mothered the invention of printing" (Irving Wallace).2. To act as mother to, as in nourishing and protecting.v.intr. To act or serve as a mother.
[Middle English moder, mother, from Old English mōdor; see māter- in Indo-European roots. N., sense 10, translation of Iraqi Arabic 'umm. N., sense 11, short for motherfucker.]

moth·er 2

M0437800 (mŭth′ər)n. A stringy slime composed of yeast cells and bacteria that forms on the surface of fermenting liquids and is added to wine or cider to start the production of vinegar.
[Probably alteration (influenced by mother) of obsolete Dutch moeder, from Middle Dutch, probably from moeder, mother of children; see māter- in Indo-European roots.]