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- DictionaryFa·ther/ˈfäT͟Hər/
noun
- 1. a man in relation to his child or children: "Margaret's father died at an early age" Similar male parentbirth fatherbiological fatherbegetterpatriarchpaterfamiliasinformal:daddaddypoppoppapaold boyold manadoptive fatherfoster fatherstepfatherinformal, dated:pater
- ▪ a male animal in relation to its offspring.
- ▪ ancestors. literary Similar ancestorforefatherforebearprogenitorpredecessorantecedentforerunnerprecursorrare:primogenitorOpposite descendant
- ▪ an important figure in the origin and early history of something: "Dorsey should be remembered as the father of gospel music" Similar originatorinitiatorfounderfounding fatherinventorcreatormakerauthorprime moverinstigatorarchitectengineerdesignerdeviserplannercontrivermastermindliterary:begetter
- ▪ a man who gives care and protection to someone or something: "the prince is widely regarded as the father of the nation"
- ▪ the oldest or most respected member of a society or other body. Similar leadereldersenior figurepatriarchsenatorguiding lightofficial
- ▪ (in Christian belief) the first person of the Trinity; God. Similar GodLordLord GodDeityhumorous:Him upstairsthe man upstairs
- ▪ used in proper names, especially when personifying time or a river, to suggest an old and venerable character: "Father Thames"
- 2. (often as a title or form of address) a priest: "pray for me, father" Similar priestpastorparsonclergymanfather confessorchurchmanman of the clothman of Godclericministerpreacherabbécuréinformal:reverendpadre
- 3. early Christian theologians (in particular of the first five centuries) whose writings are regarded as especially authoritative.
verb
- 1. (of a man) cause a pregnancy resulting in the birth of (a child): "he fathered three children" Similar be the father ofsireengendergeneratebring into beingbring into the worldgive life tospawnprocreatereproducebreedliterary:beget
- ▪ treat with the protective care associated with a father.
- ▪ be the source or originator of: "a culture which has fathered half the popular music in the world" Similar establishinstituteoriginateinitiateput in placeinventfoundcreategenerateconceive
- ▪ assign the paternity of a child or responsibility for a book, idea, or action to: "a collection of Irish stories was fathered on him"
- ▪ appear as or admit that one is the father or originator of: "a singular letter from a lady, requesting I would father a novel of hers"
Word Origin Old Englishfæder, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vader and German Vater, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin pater and Greek patēr.
Derivatives
- 1. fatherlike adjective
Scrabble Points: 12
F
4A
1T
1H
4E
1R
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