n. 1 female parent. 2 woman. quality, or condition etc. that gives rise to something else (necessity is the mother of invention). 3 (in full Mother Superior) head of a female religious community. v. 1 treat as a mother does. 2 give birth to; be the mother or origin of. r motherhood n. motherless adj. [Old English] Mother Carey’s chicken n. = STORM PETREL 1.
