MOTHER-IN-LAW (mothers-in-law)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: mothers-in-law   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does mother-in-law mean? 

• MOTHER-IN-LAW (noun)
  The noun MOTHER-IN-LAW has 1 sense:

1. the mother of your spouse

  Familiarity information: MOTHER-IN-LAW used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MOTHER-IN-LAW (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The mother of your spouse

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("mother-in-law" is a kind of...):

in-law; relative-in-law (a relative by marriage)

female parent; mother (a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother))

Instance hyponyms:

Naomi; Noemi (the mother-in-law of Ruth whose story is told in the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament)

 Context examples 

You will be having a charming mother-in-law, indeed; and, of course, she will always be at Pemberley with you.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

As my mother-in-law's relations, I shall be happy to show them every respect.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

I shall begin to assert the privileges of a mother-in-law, if you go on like that, and scold you.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Every thing declared it; his own attentions, his father's hints, his mother-in-law's guarded silence; it was all in unison; words, conduct, discretion, and indiscretion, told the same story.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Mary was in excellent spirits, enjoying the gaiety and the change, and so well satisfied with the journey in her mother-in-law's carriage with four horses, and with her own complete independence of Camden Place, that she was exactly in a temper to admire everything as she ought, and enter most readily into all the superiorities of the house, as they were detailed to her.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

I consider that when a dependent does her duty as well as you have done yours, she has a sort of claim upon her employer for any little assistance he can conveniently render her; indeed I have already, through my future mother-in-law, heard of a place that I think will suit: it is to undertake the education of the five daughters of Mrs. Dionysius O'Gall of Bitternutt Lodge, Connaught, Ireland.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

No sooner was his father's funeral over, than Mrs. John Dashwood, without sending any notice of her intention to her mother-in-law, arrived with her child and their attendants.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

He began—stopping, however, almost directly to say, Had I been offered the sight of one of this gentleman's letters to his mother-in-law a few months ago, Emma, it would not have been taken with such indifference.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

I hope, said she, as they were walking together in the shrubbery the next day, you will give your mother-in-law a few hints, when this desirable event takes place, as to the advantage of holding her tongue; and if you can compass it, do cure the younger girls of running after officers.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

The important Tuesday came that was to introduce the two young ladies to this formidable mother-in-law.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)