Father Definition

fäthər
fathered, fathering, fathers
noun
fathers
A male whose sperm unites with an egg, producing an embryo.
American Heritage Medicine
A stepfather.
Webster's New World
A man who has begotten a child; esp., a man as he is related to his child or children.
Webster's New World
A person regarded as a male parent; protector.
Webster's New World
A man who raises a child.
American Heritage Medicine
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
pronoun
One's father.
I will only do what Father asks.
Wiktionary
One of the chief ecclesiastical authorities of the first centuries after Christ.
The Latin, Greek, or apostolic Fathers.
Wiktionary

A title given to priests.

Father Thomas was a good priest.
Wiktionary

(Christianity) God, the father of Creation.

Wiktionary

(Wicca) One of the triune gods of the Horned God in Wicca, representing a man, younger than the elderly Sage and older than the boyish Master.

Wiktionary
verb
fathered, fathering, fathers
To provide the sperm that unites with an egg to produce (an embryo, fetus, or child).
American Heritage
To look after or care for as a father does.
Webster's New World
To bring into being; found, originate, or invent.
Webster's New World
To be the father of; beget.
Webster's New World
To take the responsibility for.
Webster's New World
Antonyms:

Other Word Forms of Father

Noun

Singular:
father
Plural:
fathers

Origin of Father

  • From Middle English fader, from Old English fæder, from Proto-Germanic *fadēr (compare West Frisian faar, North Frisian faaðer, Low German Fader, Dutch vader, German Vater, Danish fader), from Proto-Indo-European *ph₂tḗr (compare Irish athair, Tocharian A pācar, B pācer, Persian پدر (pedar), Lithuanian patinas 'male animal'), akin to Latin pater, akin to Ancient Greek πατήρ (patēr), akin to Armenian հայր (hayr), akin to Sankskrit पितृ (pitṛ, “father”).

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English fader from Old English fæder pəter- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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