Word Meanings - FATHER - Book Publishers vocabulary database

OHG. fatar, G. vater, Icel. Fa Sw. & Dan. fader, OIr. athir, L. pater, Gr. pitr, perh. fr. Skr. pa protect. Papa, Paternal, Patriot, 1. One who has begotten a child, whether son or daughter; a generator; a male parent. A wise son maketh a glad

Additional info about word: FATHER

OHG. fatar, G. vater, Icel. Fa Sw. & Dan. fader, OIr. athir, L. pater, Gr. pitr, perh. fr. Skr. pa protect. Papa, Paternal, Patriot, 1. One who has begotten a child, whether son or daughter; a generator; a male parent. A wise son maketh a glad father. Prov. x. 1. 2. A male ancestor more remote than a parent; a progenitor; especially, a first ancestor; a founder of a race or family; -- in the plural, fathers, ancestors. David slept with his fathers. 1 Kings ii. 10. Abraham, who is the father of us all. Rom. iv. 16. 3. One who performs the offices of a parent by maintenance, affetionate care, counsel, or protection. I was a father to the poor. Job xxix. 16. He hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house. Gen. xiv. 8. 4. A respectful mode of address to an old man. And Joash the king og Israel came down unto him , . . . and said, O my father, my father! 2 Kings xiii. 14. 5. A senator of ancient Rome. 6. A dignitary of the church, a superior of a convent, a confessor , or a priest; also, the eldest member of a profession, or of a legislative assembly, etc. Bless you, good father friar ! Shak. 7. One of the chief esslesiastical authorities of the first centuries after Christ; -- often spoken of collectively as the Fathers; as, the Latin, Greek, or apostolic Fathers. 8. One who, or that which, gives origin; an originator; a producer, author, or contriver; the first to practice any art, profession, or occupation; a distinguished example or teacher. The father of all such as handle the harp and organ. Gen. iv. 21. Might be the father, Harry, to that thought. Shak. The father of good news. Shak. 9. The Supreme Being and Creator; God; in theology, the first person in the Trinity. Our Father, which art in heaven. Matt. vi. 9. Now had the almighty Father from above . . . Bent down his eye. Milton. Adoptive father, one who adopts the child of another, treating it as his own. -- Apostolic father, Conscript fathers, etc. See under Apostolic, Conscript, etc. -- Father in God, a title given to bishops. -- Father of lies, the Devil. -- Father of the bar, the oldest practitioner at the bar. -- Fathers of the city, the aldermen. -- Father of the Faithful. Abraham. Rom. iv. Gal. iii. 6-9. Mohammed, or one of the sultans, his successors. -- Father of the house, the member of a legislative body who has had the longest continuous service. -- Most Reverend Father in God, a title given to archbishops and metropolitans, as to the archbishops of Canterbury and York. -- Natural father, the father of an illegitimate child. -- Putative father, one who is presumed to be the father of an illegitimate child; the supposed father. -- Spiritual father. A religious teacher or guide, esp. one instrumental in leading a soul to God. A priest who hears confession in the sacrament of penance. -- The Holy Father , the pope.

Possible synonyms: (Same meaning words of FATHER)

• Elder
• Senior
• father

Related words: (words related to FATHER)

• FATHER-LASHER
  A European marine fish , allied to the sculpin; -- called also lucky proach.
• SENIORIZE
  To exercise authority; to rule; to lord it. Fairfax.
• SENIORITY
  The quality or state of being senior.
• ELDERLY
  Somewhat old; advanced beyond middle age; bordering on old age; as, elderly people.
• FATHERLESSNESS
  The state of being without a father.
• ELDERBERRY
  The berrylike drupe of the elder. That of the Old World elder and that of the American sweet elder are sweetish acid, and are eaten as a berry or made into wine.
• ELDER
  1. Older; more aged, or existing longer. Let the elder men among us emulate their own earlier deeds. Jowett 2. Born before another; prior in years; senior; earlier; older; as, his elder brother died in infancy; -- opposed to Ant: younger, and now
• ELDERN
  Made of elder. He would discharge us as boys do eldern guns. Marston.
• FATHERLAND
  One's native land; the native land of one's fathers or ancestors.
• FATHER-IN-LAW
  The father of one's husband or wife; -- correlative to son-in- law and daughter-in-law. Note: A man who marries a woman having children already, is sometimes, though erroneously, called their father-in-law.
• FATHER
  OHG. fatar, G. vater, Icel. Fa Sw. & Dan. fader, OIr. athir, L. pater, Gr. pitr, perh. fr. Skr. pa protect. Papa, Paternal, Patriot, 1. One who has begotten a child, whether son or daughter; a generator; a male parent. A wise son maketh a glad
• FATHERLESS
  1. Destitute of a living father; as, a fatherless child. 2. Without a known author. Beau. & Fl.
• FATHERLY
  1. Like a father in affection and care; paternal; tender; protecting; careful. You have showed a tender, fatherly regard. Shak. 2. Of or pertaining to a father.
• SENIOR
  1. More advanced than another in age; prior in age; elder; hence, more advanced in dignity, rank, or office; superior; as, senior member; senior counsel. 2. Belonging to the final year of the regular course in American colleges, or in professional
• ELDERWORT
  Danewort.
• FATHER LONGLEGS
  See 2
• ELDERISH
  Somewhat old; elderly.
• SENIORY
  Seniority. Shak.
• FATHERLINESS
  The qualities of a father; parantal kindness, care, etc.
• ELDERSHIP
  1. The state of being older; seniority. "Paternity an eldership." Sir W. Raleigh. 2. Office of an elder; collectively, a body of elders.
• GREAT-GRANDFATHER
  The father of one's grandfather or grandmother.
• DISELDER
  To deprive of an elder or elders, or of the office of an elder. Fuller.
• GELDER
  One who gelds or castrates.
• GODFATHER
  A man who becomes sponsor for a child at baptism, and makes himself a surety for its Christian training and instruction. There shall be for every Male-child to be baptized, when they can be had, two Godfathers and one Godmother; and for
• YIELDER
  One who yields. Shak.
• FOREFATHER
  One who precedes another in the line of genealogy in any degree, but usually in a remote degree; an ancestor. Respecting your forefathers, you would have been taught to respect yourselves. Burke. Forefathers' Day, the anniversary of the day on
• STEPFATHER
  The husband of one's mother by a subsequent marriage.