mother-in-law

noun

moth·​er-in-law ˈmə-t͟hər-ən-ˌlȯ How to pronounce mother-in-law (audio)
ˈmət͟h-rən-,
ˈmə-t͟hərn-
plural mothers-in-law ˈmə-t͟hər-zən-ˌlȯ How to pronounce mother-in-law (audio)
1
: the mother of one's spouse
2
archaic : stepmother

Examples of mother-in-law in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The 690 liters of trunk space deserves a mention here; something that came in handy when my mother-in-law visited with her colossal suitcase over Christmas. Matthew MacConnell, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025 My mother-in-law has always been passive-aggressive, critical and mixing into our business. Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2025 In a TikTok video posted on Dec. 1, Cassidy sits with her son and mother-in-law, who sings the lullaby written in honor of Jared. Andrea Wurzburger, People.com, 1 Jan. 2025 Today, the cabinet sits in Sturge’s living room and houses her husband’s bourbon collection. 07 of 09 A Brass Samovar From her mother-in-law, who had lived overseas for many years, Carla Aston inherited a brass samovar sourced in Iran. Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mother-in-law 

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mother-in-law was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near mother-in-law

Cite this Entry

“Mother-in-law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mother-in-law. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

mother-in-law

noun
moth·​er-in-law
ˈmət͟h-(ə-)rən-ˌlȯ,
ˈmət͟h-ərn-ˌlȯ
plural mothers-in-law
ˈmət͟h-ər-zən-
: the mother of one's husband or wife

More from Merriam-Webster on mother-in-law

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!