mother-in-law

noun

moth·​er-in-law ˈmə-t͟hər-ən-ˌlȯ How to pronounce mother-in-law (audio)
ˈmət͟h-rən-,
ˈmə-t͟hərn-
plural mothers-in-law ˈmə-t͟hər-zən-ˌlȯ How to pronounce mother-in-law (audio)
1
: the mother of one's spouse
2
archaic : stepmother

Examples of mother-in-law in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Njoroge also lost his mother-in-law, whose family has a separate case. arkansasonline.com, 13 July 2025 Fall shoes like Hunter rain boots, as seen on Meghan Markle and her late mother-in-law Princess Diana, are up for the taking, as are Brooks running shoes and Sorel sneakers. Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 13 July 2025 Her husband's mother-in-law, on the other hand, invited the couple to move in with her. Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025 The one minute trailer for her special pokes fun at her son, husband, and mother-in-law — which any Zarna fan knows is par for the course. Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 8 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for mother-in-law

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mother-in-law was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Mother-in-law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mother-in-law. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

mother-in-law

noun
moth·​er-in-law
ˈmət͟h-(ə-)rən-ˌlȯ,
ˈmət͟h-ərn-ˌlȯ
plural mothers-in-law
ˈmət͟h-ər-zən-
: the mother of one's husband or wife

More from Merriam-Webster on mother-in-law

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