Phrase guide

mother ship

noun · 4 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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  • /ˈmʌðər ˌʃɪp/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A vessel, aircraft or spacecraft that serves or carries a smaller vessel or vessels that operate independently from it.

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

The main source or supporter of something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The largest vessel, especially a spaceship, in a fleet, from which the fleet is commanded; a flagship.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: literature, media, publishing, science-fiction

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The largest and most fearsome example of something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

23 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 母艦 /母舰 (mǔjiàn) — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Chinese Mandarin: 母船 (mǔchuán) — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Dutch: moederschip — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Finnish: emälaiva — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Finnish: emoalus — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • French: vaisseau mère — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • French: navire amiral — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • German: Mutterschiff — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Hungarian: anyahajó — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Indonesian: kapal induk — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Italian: nave madre — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Japanese: 母艦 (bokan) — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Japanese: 母船 (bosen) — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Korean: 모함 (moham) — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Norwegian Bokmål: moderskip — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: moderskip — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Persian: کشتی مادر (kašti-ye mâdar) — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Polish: statek-matka — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Russian: кора́бль-ма́тка (koráblʹ-mátka) — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Spanish: nave nodriza — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Spanish: buque nodriza — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Swedish: moderskepp — vessel that serves a smaller vessel
  • Swedish: moderfartyg — vessel that serves a smaller vessel