A mother (or mum/mom) is a woman who has raised a child, given birth to a child, and/or supplied the ovum that united with a sperm which grew into a child. Because of the complexity and differences of a mother's social, cultural, and religious definitions and roles, it is challenging to specify a universally acceptable definition for the term. The male equivalent is a father.
Read more about Mother: Etymology, Biological Mother, Non-biological Mother, Motherhood in Same-sex Relationships, Social Role, Heath and Safety Issues, Religious, Mother-offspring Conflict, Mothers in Art, Synonyms and Translations, Famous Motherhood Figures
Famous quotes containing the word mother:
“Every Mother is a working mother.”
—Slogan, U.S.
“It is one of the most discouraging experiences I have ever had, not forgetting the time when I winked at the Queen Mother in London once.”
—Robert Benchley (1889–1945)
“A mother wants all of life to be painless for her child. This is not a realistic goal, however. Deprivation and frustration are as much a part of life as gratification. It is some balance between these that a mother is looking for. To take the next step is always painful in part. It means relinquishing gratification on some level. If one is totally gratified where one is, why move ahead? If one is totally frustrated, why bother?”
—Elaine Heffner (20th century)