noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/haʊsˈmʌðə(ɹ)/
Received-Pronunciation:[haʊsˈmɐðə(ɹ)]
General-American:/hʌʊsˈmʌðɚ/
1
noun
Meaning 1
The mother of a family; the female head of household, or of any collection of persons living as a family or in common, as in a primitive community.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A woman in charge of a residence for young people to look after them.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
a woman employed as a chaperon in a residence for young people
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: chaperon, chaperone
History
Etymology
From house + mother. First use appears c. 1822. See cite below.
Across languages
Translations
5 source translations are retained for this English entry.
German:
Hausmutter
— mother of a family; the female head of household
Esperanto:
vartistino
— woman in charge of a residence for young people
French:
surveillante
— woman in charge of a residence for young people
German:
Hausmutter
— woman in charge of a residence for young people
Japanese:
寮母
(ryōbo)
— woman in charge of a residence for young people