parent Meaning & Definition
What Does Parent Mean?
Parent is a noun that means one that begets or brings forth offspring. It can also mean a person who brings up and cares for another. As a verb, it means to be or act as the parent of.
Parent at a Glance
| Part of speech | noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈper-ənt/ |
| Syllables | 2 |
| Synonyms | raise, nurture and rear |
| Antonyms | child and kid |
| Plural | parents |
| Verb forms | parents, parenting, parented |
Parent Definition (Noun)
- one that begets or brings forth offspring
just became parents of twins
- a person who brings up and cares for another
foster parents
- an animal or plant that is regarded in relation to its offspring
The parent brings food to the chicks.
- the material or source from which something is derived
Latin is the parent of several languages.
- a group from which another arises and to which it usually remains subsidiary
a parent company
Parent as a Verb
- to be or act as the parent of : originate, produce
- to be or act as a parent
Synonyms of Parent
Parent synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Parent
Parent in a Sentence
After both her parents were killed in a forest fire, Sonia was adopted by her aunt and uncle.
just became parents of twins
foster parents
The parent brings food to the chicks.
Latin is the parent of several languages.
a parent company
The couple recently became parents for the first time.
She grew up in a single parent household.
They expertly parent their second child using all the lessons learned from raising their first.
Word Forms & Grammar
parent adjective
pa·ren·tal adjective
pa·ren·tal·ly adverb
par·ent·less adjective
parent
parental
parentally
parentless
parents
par·ent·ed
par·ent·ing
par·ents
parented
parenting
parent (plural parents)
parent (third-person singular simple present parents, present participle parenting, simple past and past participle parented)
Words That Rhyme With Parent
Origin of Parent
Origin 1: Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin parent-, parens "father or mother, progenitor, ancestor," probably from an aorist participle of parere "to give birth to, bring into being, produce" parturient:1
Origin 2: derivative of parent:1
Origin 3: From Middle English parent, borrowed from Anglo-Norman parent, Middle French parent, from Latin parentem, accusative of parēns (“parent”), present participle of pariō (“to breed, bring forth”).
First Known Use
15th century
1663t
How to Pronounce Parent
You say parent as /ˈper-ənt/. It has 2 syllables, with the main stress on the first syllable (per).
Common Questions About Parent
Is parent a noun or a verb?
Parent is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.
What is another word for parent?
You can replace parent with words such as raise, nurture and rear. See the full list of parent synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of parent?
The plural of parent is parents.
What is the past tense of parent?
The past tense of parent is parented. The present participle is parenting.