mother
1. moth.er \'m*th-*r\ \-.hu.d\ \-l*s\ n [ME moder, fr. OE mo-dor; akin to
OHG mouter mother, L ]mater, Gk me-te-r, Skt ma-trsub-dot> 1a: a female
parent 1b1: a woman in authority; specif : the superior of a religious com
munity of women 1b2: an old or elderly woman 2: SOURCE, ORIGIN 3:
maternal tenderness or affection - moth.er.hood n
2. mother aj 1a: of, relating to, or being a mother 1b: bearing the
relation of a mother 2: derived from or as if from one's mother 3: acting
as or providing parental stock - used without reference to sex
3. mother \'m*th-(*-)rin\ vt or moth.er.ing 1a: to give birth to 1b: to
give rise to : PRODUCE 2a: to attribute to a particular person the
maternity or origin of 2b: to acknowledge that one is the mother or author
of 3: to care for or protect like a mother
4. mother n [akin to MD modder, mud, lees, dregs, MLG mudde mud] : a slimy
membrane composed of yeast and bacterial cells that develops on the
surface of alcoholic liquids undergoing acetous fermentation and is added
to wine or cider to produce vinegar
Webster's English Dictionary