Kilo Lingo

la

feminine

/mɛʁ/

Line drawing of mère
Coloured illustration of mère
#153 of 5,000 Core 1000

Translation

mother

Word origin

From Latin matrem, accusative of mater ('mother').

Origin
Latin
Root
mater
English cognates
maternal, matrix, matron

Grammar

Genderfeminine

Examples

.

Her mother taught her to cook the dishes of the country.

Thomas .

Thomas's mother works in a big office in the city.

- .

She became a mother for the first time at thirty-two.

au .

My mother makes the best chocolate cake.

.

His mother works as a nurse in a hospital.

est le terme standard et neutre pour la parenté maternelle, plus formel que maman (affectif, familier). Elle entre dans des composés comme belle-mère (mother-in-law or stepmother) et grand-mère (grandmother). Le titre religieux Mère (Mother Superior) prend une majuscule.

La mère patrie (the motherland) et la langue maternelle (mother tongue) sont des métaphores politiques et linguistiques établies. Mère de famille (mother of a family) désignait un rôle social ; aujourd'hui on préfère souvent parent dans les textes officiels. C'est la mère de toutes les batailles calque l'arabe et signifie la bataille décisive.

Where this fits

Used in

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French · Free printables

mère: worksheet, infographic and listicle

Free printable study downloads for the French word "mère" (mother): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.

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This word is part of lesson 4.