father-in-law

noun

ˈfä-t͟hə-rən-ˌlȯ 

-t͟hərn-ˌlȯ

plural fathers-in-law ˈfä-t͟hər-zən-ˌlȯ 

1

: the father of one's spouse

2

archaic : stepfather

Examples of father-in-law in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Pratt later married Katherine Schwarzenegger in 2019 (making Arnold Schwarzenegger his father-in-law), and the couple have three children: Lyla Maria, born in 2020, Eloise Christina, born in 2022, and son Ford, who arrived in 2024. —Keith Langston, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025

Late last month, after President Donald Trump suggested that diversity initiatives were to blame for a plane crash in Washington, Lara Trump, who is married to Trump’s son Eric, went on Fox News to defend her father-in-law. —Jon Allsop, The New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2025

The author also suggested that Kushner thought his father-in-law didn't have much of a future after his first term. —Mark Joseph, Newsweek, 22 Feb. 2025

My son was about to graduate from high school and my father-in-law was battling melanoma. —Lynn Hill, Outside Online, 17 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for father-in-law

• avoirdupois
• aa
• aha
• bashaw
• bradshaw
• byelaw
• bylaw
• chainsaw
• cheraw
• coleslaw
• crenshaw
• dada

Kids Definition

father-in-law

noun

fa·​ther-in-law

ˈfät͟h-(ə-)rən-ˌlȯ,

ˈfȧt͟h-,

-ərn-ˌlȯ

plural fathers-in-law

ˈfät͟h-ər-zən-,

ˈfȧt͟h-

: the father of one's husband or wife