- The definition of a daughter is a female child that a mother gives birth to or adopts.
An example of a daughter is the little girl you gave birth to.
A mother with her young daughter.
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noun
- a girl or woman as she is related to either or both parents: sometimes also used of animals
- a female descendant
- a stepdaughter
- an adopted daughter
- a daughter-in-law
- a female thought of as having been formed by some influence, as a child is by a parent: a daughter of the French Revolution
- anything thought of as like a daughter in relation to its source or origin: colonies are daughters of the mother country
- Physics an element that results immediately from the disintegration of a radioactive element
Origin: Middle English doughter ; from Old English dohtor, akin to Gothic dauhtar, German tochter ; from Indo-European base an unverified form dhugheter from source Sanskrit duhitár, Classical Greek thugatēr
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
noun
- One's female child.
- A female descendant.
- A woman considered as if in a relationship of child to parent: a daughter of the nation.
- One personified or regarded as a female descendant: “Culturally Japan is a daughter of Chinese civilization” (Edwin O. Reischauer).
- Physics The immediate product of the radioactive decay of an element.
- Possessing the characteristics of a daughter; having the relationship of a daughter.
- Biology Of or relating to a cell, organelle, or other structure produced by division or replication: daughter cell; daughter DNA.
- Physics Produced by or resulting from the decay of a radioactive element: daughter atom; daughter nuclide.
Origin: Middle English doughter, from Old English dohtor; see dhugəter- in Indo-European roots.
Related Forms:
- daughˈter·ly adjective