1. A woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
   "the mother of three children";
   - female parent, ma [informal], mama [informal], mamma [informal], mom [N. Amer, informal], momma [N. Amer, informal], mommy [N. Amer, informal], mammy [informal], mum [Brit, informal], mummy [informal], mumma [informal], mam [UK, informal], mater [UK, archaic, informal], supermom [informal]
    
2. A term of address for an elderly woman
   "The young man helped the elderly lady across the street, saying 'Let me assist you, Mother'"
    
3. A term of address for a mother superior
   "The novices addressed the head of the convent as 'Mother'"
    
4. A source or origin of something
   "necessity is the mother of invention"
    
5. A stringy slimy substance consisting of yeast cells and bacteria; forms during fermentation and is added to cider or wine to produce vinegar
   "He carefully transferred the mother to start a new batch of vinegar"

1. Care for like a mother
   "She mothers over her husband";
   - fuss, overprotect
    
2. Make (offspring) by reproduction
   "The cow mothered three calves";
   - beget [archaic], engender [archaic], father, sire, bring forth

Derived forms: mothered, mothering, mothers

Type of: abbess, barm [Brit], care, create, give care, inspiration, make, mother superior, old woman, parent, prioress, yeast

Antonym: begetter [archaic]

Encyclopedia: Mother, Jugs and Speed