English Meaning & Definitions
The mother of one's husband or wife.
- “He gets along famously with his mother-in-law and often invites her on family vacations.”
- “My mother-in-law gave us a beautiful handmade quilt as a wedding present.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “mother-in-law”.
Derived from Middle English 'moder in lawe' (first recorded in the late 14th century). The suffix '-in-law' historically refers to Canon Law (the law of the Catholic Church), which defined legal relationships and prohibited degrees of marriage between relatives by affinity (marriage) rather than consanguinity (blood).
She is a 'mother' figure created not by blood, but 'in' the eyes of the 'law' through your marriage contract.
Frequently Asked Questions About “mother-in-law”
1. What is the meaning of “mother-in-law” in English?
In English, mother-in-law (noun) is defined as: “The mother of one's husband or wife.”.
2. How do you use “mother-in-law” in a sentence?
“He gets along famously with his mother-in-law and often invites her on family vacations.”
3. What are English synonyms of “mother-in-law”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “mother-in-law”?
Derived from Middle English 'moder in lawe' (first recorded in the late 14th century). The suffix '-in-law' historically refers to Canon Law (the law of the Catholic Church), which defined legal relationships and prohibited degrees of marriage between relatives by affinity (marriage) rather than consanguinity (blood).
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A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.