Stepmother - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
A stepmother is a woman who marries one’s parent after the death or divorce of the other parent. She may help raise children but is not their biological mother.
Definition:
A woman who is married to one's father but is not one's biological mother.
Synonyms:
stepmom, stepmama, stepmother figure
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
biological mother, birth mother
Common Collocations:
wicked stepmother, loving stepmother, stepmother relationship, stepmother role
Derivatives:
stepmotherly, stepmotherhood
Usage Tips:
Use "stepmother" to refer to a father’s wife who is not the biological parent; avoid confusion with "adoptive mother."
Common Phrases:
wicked stepmother, like a stepmother, evil stepmother
Etymology:
From Old English "steop-" (related to orphanhood) + "modor," meaning a mother by marriage rather than birth.
Examples:
- 1. Her stepmother helped her with homework every evening.
- 2. Cinderella’s stepmother treated her unkindly in the fairy tale.
- 3. My stepmother and father got married last summer.
- 4. She baked cookies with her loving stepmother on weekends.