father

A1 Topic:Family & Relationships

US /ˈfɑ.ðəɹ/ UK /ˈfɑː.ðə(ɹ)/ See IPA manual

Freq #186

Meanings

1

noun
A male parent.

My father taught me how to ride a bike.
2

noun
A man who starts or creates something important.

George Washington is often called the father of his country.

Word forms

The same word in different grammatical forms.

Noun

Singular: father
Her father came to the concert.
Plural: fathers
Both fathers came to the concert.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a male parent. begettermale parent

2 noun · a man who starts or creates... founderfounding father

More ayrba baba da dad dadadaddiodaddy fatherling pa pap papa

Opposites

child daughter mother son

Word family

Derived forms all-fatherallofatherbabyfatherbiofatherbirthfatherco-fatherco-father-in-lawelderfathereldfatherfather-figurefather-fuckerfather-in-law

Related forms beget grandpajupiterpaterpaterfamiliaspaternal sire

Appears in

Phrases (8)

See all

become a father
have a child for the first time; take on the role of a father

Verb + noun
proud father
a father who feels deep pride in his children

Adjective + noun
single father
a father who raises children alone without a partner

Adjective + noun
miss one's father
feel the absence of one's father

Verb + noun
devoted father
a father deeply committed to caring for his children

Adjective + noun
lose one's father
To experience the death of one's father

Verb + noun

Proverbs (7)

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Simplified etymology

Father is an Old English word related to Dutch vader and German Vater.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *peh₂-? Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *ph₂tḗr Proto-Germanic *fadēr Proto-West Germanic *fader Old English fæder Middle English fader English father Inherited from Middle English fader. Doublet of ayr, faeder, athair, padre, pater, and père.

*peh₂- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Family & Relationships

External links

# father

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈfɑ.ðəɹ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈfɑː.ðə(ɹ)/
**Frequency rank:** 186

## Meanings
1. A male parent.
2. A man who starts or creates something important.

## Examples
- My father taught me how to ride a bike.
- George Washington is often called the father of his country.

## Synonyms
- ayr
- ba
- baba
- da
- dad
- dada
- daddio
- daddy
- fatherling
- pa
- pap
- papa

## Antonyms
- child
- daughter
- mother
- son

## Derived Forms
- all-father
- allofather
- babyfather
- biofather
- birthfather
- co-father
- co-father-in-law
- elderfather
- eldfather
- father-figure
- father-fucker
- father-in-law

## Related Forms
- beget
- grandpa
- jupiter
- pater
- paterfamilias
- paternal
- sire

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *peh₂-

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *peh₂-? Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *ph₂tḗr Proto-Germanic *fadēr Proto-West Germanic *fader Old English fæder Middle English fader English father Inherited from Middle English fader. Doublet of ayr, faeder, athair, padre, pater, and père.

## AI Etymology
Father is inherited from Middle English fader. Doublet of ayr, faeder, athair, padre, pater, and père. In current use, the main senses are “A male parent” and “A man who starts or creates something important”.

## Topics
- Family & Relationships

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