PARENT Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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View synonyms for parent

parent

[ pair-uhnt, par- ]

noun

  1. a father or a mother.
  2. an ancestor, precursor, or progenitor.
  3. a source, origin, or cause.
  4. a protector or guardian.
  5. Biology. any organism that produces or generates another.
  6. Physics. the first nuclide in a radioactive series.


adjective

  1. being the original source:

    a parent organization.

  2. Biology. pertaining to an organism, cell, or complex molecular structure that generates or produces another:

    parent cell;

    parent DNA.

verb (used with object)

  1. to be or act as parent of:

    to parent children with both love and discipline.

parent

/ ˈpɛərənt /

noun

  1. a father or mother
  2. a person acting as a father or mother; guardian
  3. rare.
    an ancestor
  4. a source or cause
    1. an organism or organization that has produced one or more organisms or organizations similar to itself
    2. ( as modifier )

      a parent organism

  5. physics chem
    1. a precursor, such as a nucleus or compound, of a derived entity
    2. ( as modifier )

      a parent nucleus

      a parent ion



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Derived Forms

  • ˈparenthood, noun

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Other Words From

  • parent·less adjective
  • parent·like adjective
  • non·parent noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of parent1

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin parent-, stem of parēns, noun use of present participle of parere “to bring forth, breed”

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Word History and Origins

Origin of parent1

C15: via Old French from Latin parens parent, from parere to bring forth

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Example Sentences

Those invitations went to all but two of the team’s cheerleaders – who happen to be the children of parents who expressed concerns with the practices in recent months.

I can’t know how my life would be different had my parents given me another name.

By focusing on teletherapy tools and reassuring parents, we’ve seen substantial growth and brand recognition during the pandemic.

Bad parents, bad genes, bad society, bad luck, bad decisions — pick your poison.

That can mean children are banned from seeing their own parents or siblings.

After four or five months of casual interaction, they realized they both had lost a young parent to cancer.

Tinder and OkCupid are both owned by IAC, the parent company of The Daily Beast.

To be a parent is to be able to offer truly unconditional love.

Not even after its parent company, the Soviet Union, took a dive in 1991.

At least one parent would have to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

"I'm afraid I couldn't quite manage that, my dear boy," your fond parent would respond.

He paused; and hastily wrote a few lines, to say that parent still lived, and would yet proclaim himself with honour to the world.

I betray my beloved parent's confidence, to save you from a certain and ignominious death.

In some states he becomes the heir of the adopted parent like a natural child, with some limitations.

The fibre can be separated with great facility, though firmly attached at one end to the parent rock.

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parensparentage