father
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fa·ther
(fä′thər)n.
1.
a. A male whose sperm unites with an egg, producing an embryo.
b. A male whose impregnation of a female results in the birth of a child.
c. A man who adopts a child.
d. A man who raises a child.
2. A male parent of an animal.
3. A male ancestor: He has died and now sleeps with his fathers.
4.
a. A man who creates, originates, or founds something: Chaucer is considered the father of English poetry.
b. A man who serves or is thought of as a protector: beloved as the father of the nation.
5. Father Christianity
a. God.
b. The first person of the Christian Trinity.
6.
a. An elderly or venerable man. Used as a title of respect.
b. One of the leading men, as of a city: the town fathers.
c. or Father A church father.
d. A member of the senate in ancient Rome.
7. Abbr. Fr.
a. A priest or clergyman in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches.
b. Used as a title and form of address with or without the clergyman's name.
v. fa·thered, fa·ther·ing, fa·thers
v.tr.
1.
a. To provide the sperm that unites with an egg to produce (an embryo, fetus, or child).
b. To act or serve as a father to (a child).
2. To create, found, or originate: father a political movement.
3. To attribute the paternity, creation, or origin of: "[Swift's] ideas about the education of the young are fathered on to the Lilliputians" (George Orwell).
v.intr.
To act or serve as a father.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
father
(ˈfɑːðə)n
1. a male parent
2. a person who founds a line or family; forefather
3. any male acting in a paternal capacity.
4. (often capital) a respectful term of address for an old man
5. a male who originates something: the father of modern psychology.
6. a leader of an association, council, etc; elder: a city father.
7. Brit the eldest or most senior member in a society, profession, etc: father of the bar.
8. (Historical Terms) (often plural) a senator or patrician in ancient Rome
9. the father of informal a very large, severe, etc, example of a specified kind: the father of a whipping.
vb (tr)
10. to procreate or generate (offspring); beget
11. to create, found, originate, etc
12. to act as a father to
13. to acknowledge oneself as father or originator of
14. (foll by: on or upon) to impose or place without a just reason
[Old English fæder; related to Old Norse fathir, Old Frisian feder, Old High German fater, Latin pater, Greek patēr, Sanskrit pitr]
ˈfathering n
Father
(ˈfɑːðə)n
1. (Theology) God, esp when considered as the first person of the Christian Trinity
2. (Theology) Also called: Church Father any of the writers on Christian doctrine of the pre-Scholastic period
3. (Roman Catholic Church) a title used for Christian priests
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
fa•ther
(ˈfɑ ðər)n.
1. the begetter of offspring; male parent.
2. (often cap.) one's own father.
3. a father-in-law, stepfather, adoptive father, or foster father.
4. any male ancestor; forefather; progenitor.
5. a man who gives paternal care to others; protector or provider.
6. a person who has originated or established something.
7. a precursor, prototype, or early form.
8. one of the leading men in a city, town, etc.
9. a priest or a title for a priest.
10. (cap.) God, esp. the first person of the Trinity.
11. a title of respect for an elderly man.
12. any of the chief early Christian writers.
v.t. 13. to beget.
14. to be the creator, founder, or author of; originate.
15. to act as a father toward.
16. to take the responsibility for.
17. to establish the paternity or source of.
v.i. 18. to perform the tasks or duties of a male parent; act paternally.
[before 900; Middle English fader, Old English fæder; c. Old Saxon fadar, Old High German fater, Old Norse fathir, Latin pater, GK patḗr, Skt pitar]
fa′ther•less, adj.
fa′ther•like`, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
Father
the hatred of one’s father. — misopaterist, n.
1. a community in which the father or oldest male is the supreme authority in the family, clan, or tribe, and descent is traced through the male line.
2. government by males, with one as supreme. — patriarchist, n. — patri-archic, patriarchical, adj.
2. government by males, with one as supreme. — patriarchist, n. — patri-archic, patriarchical, adj.
tending to move toward or centering upon the father. See also matricentric.
-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
father
Past participle: fathered
Gerund: fathering
| Imperative |
|---|
| father |
| father |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  father - a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father); "his father was born in Atlanta"dad, dada, daddy, pa, papa, pappa, pop - an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk father-in-law - the father of your spouse old man - an informal term for your father parent - a father or mother; one who begets or one who gives birth to or nurtures and raises a child; a relative who plays the role of guardian pater - an informal use of the Latin word for father; sometimes used by British schoolboys or used facetiously female parent, mother - a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother); "the mother of three children" |
| 2. |  father - the founder of a family; "keep the faith of our forefathers"ancestor, antecedent, ascendant, ascendent, root - someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent) patriarch - any of the early biblical characters regarded as fathers of the human race | |
| 3. |  Father - `Father' is a term of address for priests in some churches (especially the Roman Catholic Church or the Orthodox Catholic Church); `Padre' is frequently used in the militaryform of address, title of respect, title - an identifying appellation signifying status or function: e.g. `Mr.' or `General'; "the professor didn't like his friends to use his formal title" priest - a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders | |
| 4. | Father - (Christianity) any of about 70 theologians in the period from the 2nd to the 7th century whose writing established and confirmed official church doctrine; in the Roman Catholic Church some were later declared saints and became Doctor of the Church; the best known Latin Church Fathers are Ambrose, Augustine, Gregory the Great, and Jerome; those who wrote in Greek include Athanasius, Basil, Gregory Nazianzen, and John Chrysostom Christian religion, Christianity - a monotheistic system of beliefs and practices based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and emphasizing the role of Jesus as savior theologian, theologiser, theologist, theologizer - someone who is learned in theology or who speculates about theology | |
| 5. | father - a person who holds an important or distinguished position in some organization; "the tennis fathers ruled in her favor"; "the city fathers endorsed the proposal" leader - a person who rules or guides or inspires others | |
| 6. | Father - God when considered as the first person in the Trinity; "hear our prayers, Heavenly Father" | |
| 7. |  father - a person who founds or establishes some institution; "George Washington is the father of his country"cofounder - one of a group of founders foundress - a woman founder | |
| 8. |  father - the head of an organized crime family | |
| Verb | 1. |  father - make children; "Abraham begot Isaac"; "Men often father children but don't recognize them" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
father
noun
1. daddy (informal), dad (informal), male parent, patriarch, pop (U.S. informal), governor (informal), old man (Brit. informal), pa (informal), old boy (informal), papa (old-fashioned informal), sire, pater, biological father, foster father, begetter, paterfamilias, birth father He was a good father to my children.
2. founder, author, maker, architect, creator, inventor, originator, prime mover, initiator He was the father of modern photography.
3. (usually cap.) priest, minister, vicar, parson, pastor, cleric, churchman, padre (informal), confessor, abbé, curé, man of God The prior, Father Alessandro, came over to talk to them.
4. (usually cap.) God, Lord, Creator, Almighty God, living God, Holy One, eternal God Our Father in Heaven.
5. (usually plural) forefather, predecessor, ancestor, forebear, progenitor land of my fathers
6. (usually plural) leader (usually found in phrase `city fathers') senator, elder, patron, patriarch, guiding light, city father City fathers tried to revive the town's economy.
verb
1. sire, parent, conceive, bring to life, beget, procreate, bring into being, give life to, get He fathered at least three children.
Related words
adjective paternal
adjective paternal
Quotations
"Honour thy father and thy mother" Bible: Exodus
"'Tis happy for him, that his father was before him" [Jonathan Swift Polite Conversation]
"No man is responsible for his father. That is entirely his mother's affair" [Margaret Turnbull Alabaster Lamps]
"No man can know who was his father" [Homer Odyssey]
"It's all any reasonable child can expect if the dad is present at the conception" [Joe Orton Entertaining Mr. Sloane]
"It is a wise father that knows his own child" [William Shakespeare The Merchant of Venice]
"Honour thy father and thy mother" Bible: Exodus
"'Tis happy for him, that his father was before him" [Jonathan Swift Polite Conversation]
"No man is responsible for his father. That is entirely his mother's affair" [Margaret Turnbull Alabaster Lamps]
"No man can know who was his father" [Homer Odyssey]
"It's all any reasonable child can expect if the dad is present at the conception" [Joe Orton Entertaining Mr. Sloane]
"It is a wise father that knows his own child" [William Shakespeare The Merchant of Venice]
Proverbs
"Like father like son"
"Like father like son"
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
father
noun2. A person from whom one is descended:
Archaic: predecessor.
3. One that creates, founds, or originates:
4. A first form from which varieties arise or imitations are made:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
أَبأب، كاهِنأب، والِدأبو، مُبْتَدِئ، مُنْشِئيُنْجِب
баща
oteczploditbýt otcem
farfadergrundlæggerpater
patro
isa
پدر
isä
otac
apaatya
faðirfaîirfeîra; vera faîirprestur, preststitillstofnandi, upphafsmaîur
父おとうさんお父さんパパ
아버지
pater
tėvastėviškastėvystėuošvisbūti tėvu
būt par tēvudibinātājsradītradītājstēvs
tată
otecpátersplodiť
oče
farpappafader
พ่อ
батькоотецьтато
bốcậuchathầytía
father
[ˈfɑːðəʳ]A. N
1. (gen) → padre m
to talk to sb like a father → hablar a algn en tono paternal
to be passed on or handed down from father to son → pasar de padre a hijo
my father and mother → mis padres
a father and mother of a row → una bronca fenomenal or de padre y muy señor mío
like father like son → de tal palo, tal astilla
to talk to sb like a father → hablar a algn en tono paternal
to be passed on or handed down from father to son → pasar de padre a hijo
my father and mother → mis padres
a father and mother of a row → una bronca fenomenal or de padre y muy señor mío
like father like son → de tal palo, tal astilla
3. Father Brown (Rel) → (el) padre Brown
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
father
[ˈfɑːðər] n
(= male parent) → père m
my father → mon père
to be a good father → être un bon père
a father of three
He is a father of three → Il est le père de trois enfants., Il est père de trois enfants.
my father → mon père
to be a good father → être un bon père
a father of three
He is a father of three → Il est le père de trois enfants., Il est père de trois enfants.
(= inventor, originator) → père m
the father of modern photography → le père de la photographie moderne
the father of modern photography → le père de la photographie moderne
(= priest) → père m
vt [+ child] → être le père deFather Christmas n (British) → le père m Noëlfather figure father-figure n → figure f paternelle
He needs a father figure → Il a besoin d'une figure paternelle.
He's been a father figure to me
BUT Il a été un père pour moi.
He needs a father figure → Il a besoin d'une figure paternelle.
He's been a father figure to me
BUT Il a été un père pour moi.
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
father
n
(lit, fig) → Vater m → (to sb jdm); from father to son → vom Vater auf den Sohn; like father like son → der Apfel fällt nicht weit vom Stamm; (Old) Father Time → die Zeit (als Allegorie)
(= founder) → Vater m; (= leader) → Führer m, → Vater m (liter); the Fathers of the Church → die Kirchenväter pl
vt
child, cub etc → zeugen; (= admit paternity) → die Vaterschaft anerkennen für; (fig) idea, plan → Urheber (+gen) → sein
(= saddle with responsibility) to father something on somebody → jdm die Verantwortung für etw aufhalsen (inf) → or aufbürden
father
:Father Christmas
n (Brit) → der Weihnachtsmann
father confessor
n (Rel) → Beichtvater m
father figure
n → Vaterfigur f
fatherhood
n → Vaterschaft f
father-in-law
n pl <fathers-in-law> → Schwiegervater m
fatherland
n → Vaterland nt
fatherless
adj → vaterlos
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
father
[ˈfɑːðəʳ] n (gen) → padre mOur Father (Rel) → Padre Nostro
from father to son → di padre in figlio
like father like son → tale padre tale figlio
Old Father Time → il Tempo
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
father
(ˈfaːðə) noun1. a male parent, especially human. Mr Smith is her father.
2. (with capital) the title of a (usually Roman Catholic) priest. I met Father Sullivan this morning.
3. a person who begins, invents or first makes something. King Alfred was the father of the English navy.
verb to be the father of. King Charles II fathered a number of children.
ˈfatherhood noun the state or condition of being a father. Now that the children are older I am enjoying fatherhood.
ˈfatherly adjective like a father. He showed a fatherly interest in his friend's child.
ˈfather-in-law noun the father of one's wife or husband.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
father
→ أَب otec far Vater πατέρας padre isä père otac padre 父 아버지 vader far ojciec pai отец far พ่อ baba bố 父亲Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
father
n. padre; papá; pop. tata.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
father
n padre mEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.