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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
In addition, Frostrup also spoke of her mother, who suffers from dementia, and her mother-in-law, who has osteoporosis—both conditions linked to estrogen decline. Sandra Rose Salathe, Flow Space, 1 Nov. 2024 Gift it to the mother-in-law who’s always promised to show you her secret family recipes. Brie Schwartz, Glamour, 31 Oct. 2024 The bride recently went wedding dress shopping, accompanied by her mom, maid of honor, future mother-in-law and future sister-in-law. Erin Clack, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024 One thing alone seems to matter to her now: finding the bodies of her husband and mother-in-law and giving them a proper burial. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune Europe, 31 Oct. 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 14 Nov. 2024.

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

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