father

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a male parent, also used as a term of address to one's own father

   They were the father of five beautiful children.

2. 2
   noun

   a person who holds an important or distinguished position in some organization

   The tennis fathers ruled in favor of the motion.

3. 3
   noun

   the founder of a family

   keep the faith of our forefathers

4. 4
   noun

   a person who founds or establishes some institution

   George Washington is the father of our country.

5. 5
   noun

   A male parent, especially of a human; a male who parents a child (which he has sired, adopted, fostered, taken as his own, etc.).

   My father was a strong influence on me.

6. 6
   noun

   A male who has sired a baby; this person in relation to his child or children.

   My friend Tony just became a father.

7. 7
   noun

   A male ancestor more remote than a parent; a progenitor; especially, a first ancestor.

   So Dauid ſlept with his fathers, and was buried in the citie of Dauid.

8. 8
   noun

   A term of respectful address for an elderly man.

   Come, father; you can sit here.

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.