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parent Definition

par·ent (per′ənt, par′-)

noun

  1. a mother or father
  2. a progenitor or ancestor
  3. any animal, organism, or plant in relation to its offspring
  4. anything from which other things are derived; source; origin

Etymology: OFr < L parens, parent, orig. prp. of parere, to beget: see -parous

adjective

  1. ☆ designating a corporation in relation to a subsidiary that it owns and controls
  2. designating anything in relation to something for which it is the source other books based on this parent work

transitive verb, intransitive verb

to be or act as the parent (of)

parent Related Forms
par′·ent·hood′ noun
parent Synonyms

parent

n.

father, mother, foster parent, foster father, foster mother, stepparent, stepfather, stepmother, immediate forebear, procreator, progenitor, sire, the one from whom one has one's being; see also father 1, mother 1, origin 3.

parent Synonyms

parent

v.

raise, rear, foster, bring up; see raise 2.

parent Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • bereave: Medical experts have claimed that bereaved parents who have recently lost a child are at a greater risk of suicide.
  • inform: It follows that there is a need to educate and inform parents about what is intended by this work.
  • encourage: Another option is a campaign to encourage parents to seek help.
  • advise: ACE strongly advises parents to get free copies of the circulars, either from the NAW by ringing 029 2082 1556.
  • divorce: His life made a turn for the worst when his parents divorced at the age of eleven.
  • help: This is to help the parent identify their chicks in the gloomy light of the nest box.

Adjective modifier

  • lone: Some offer lower rates for a second child or for lone parents.
  • non-resident: How often a child sees the non-resident parents is now an issue of contact.
  • adoptive: Both her birth parents and her adoptive parents have died.
  • foster: Many breeders today, use Bengalese Finches as foster parents.
  • teenage: The primary role of local co-ordinators is to be local champions for action and services to prevent teenage pregnancy and to support teenage parents.
  • single: I'm a single parent of 3 boys to.

Modifies a noun

  • governor: Academies have fewer parent governors than the community schools they may replace.
  • helper: A very big thank you to all our team members and parent helpers.
  • company: Find out more about British Gas and its parent company, Centrica.

Noun used with modifier

  • birth: Both her birth parents and her adoptive parents have died.
  • refugee: Tackle racism A school and its surrounding area need to be a safe place for refugee parents and pupils to come.

Possessives

  • divorce: Their conditions are reportedly also the cause of their parents ' divorce.

Preposition: of

  • child: Parents of children in Year 3 of St. Mary's school will receive a letter giving details.
  • pupil: The taxpayers and the parents of independent school pupils spend serious money on it.
parent Quotes

Go little book, thy self present, As child whose parent is unkent: To him that is the president Of noblesse and of chivalry, And if that Envy bark at thee, As sure it will, for succour flee.

—Spenser, Edmund

A man can be a parent without knowing it: a woman cannot.

—Muir,Willa (Wilhelmina) Johnstone ne¤  e  Anderson also

The parent who could see his boyas he really is, would shake his head and say: 'Willie is no good; I'll sell him.'

—Leacock, Stephen Butler

I always say that a successful parent is one who raises a child so that they can pay for their own psychoanalysis.

—Ephron, Nora

To lose one parent, Mr Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.

—Wilde, Oscar Fingal O'FlahertieWills