Standard Lemma guide

motherhouse

noun · 2 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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1

noun

Meaning 1

The monastery from which the other 'houses' of a religious order or congregation were (directly or indirectly) founded, often eponymous.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The Cistercian order is named after its motherhouse Cîteaux in Burgundy, where abbot St. Bernard initiated in 1113 the reform of their branch of the Benedictine order, which has its motherhouse at Monte Cassino.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The convent which is the seat (and often the above original foundation) of the superior of an order or congregation, and/or on which lower ranking houses (such as priories under an abbot) depend.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From mother + house.

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: moederhuis — religious monastery from which the other houses were founded
  • French: maison mère — religious monastery from which the other houses were founded
  • Miyako: 家元 (yāmutu) — religious monastery from which the other houses were founded