1
a
: one that begets or brings forth offspring
just became parents of twins
b
: a person who brings up and cares for another
foster parents
2
a
: an animal or plant that is regarded in relation to its offspring
The parent brings food to the chicks.
b
: the material or source from which something is derived
Latin is the parent of several languages.
c
: a group from which another arises and to which it usually remains subsidiary
a parent company
parent
adjective
parented; parenting; parents
: to be or act as a parent
Examples of parent in a Sentence
Noun
My parents live in New York.
The form must be signed by a parent or guardian of the child.
The parent brings food to the chicks.
The new plant will have characteristics of both parent plants.
Recent Examples on the Web
Seth Klamann, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024
Similarly, Paramount Global — the parent company of CBS, MTV, and Nickelodeon — also highlighted the growth of its FAST service Pluto TV to investors this month.
—Bruce Gil, Quartz, 15 Nov. 2024
Will Steakin, ABC News, 29 Oct. 2024
The global market for parenting apps is expected to grow significantly within the next decade.
—Lynda Lin Grigsby, NBC News, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for parent 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Polis previously supported parents’ ability to opt out of vaccinations — drawing support from anti-vaccine advocates — despite the state’s poor rankings for pediatric immunization.
—Seth Klamann, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024
Similarly, Paramount Global — the parent company of CBS, MTV, and Nickelodeon — also highlighted the growth of its FAST service Pluto TV to investors this month.
—Bruce Gil, Quartz, 15 Nov. 2024
Verb
Another attendee asked Musk for parenting advice on how to better inspire his daughter's interest in science and space.
—Will Steakin, ABC News, 29 Oct. 2024
The global market for parenting apps is expected to grow significantly within the next decade.
—Lynda Lin Grigsby, NBC News, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for parent
Dictionary Entries Near parent
Cite this Entry
“Parent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parent. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
parent
noun
par·ent
ˈpar-ənt, ˈper- 
1
: one that begets or brings forth offspring
2
: the material or source from which something is derived
parent
adjective
Legal Definition
parent
noun
par·ent
1
a
: a person who begets or brings forth offspring
especially
: the natural parents of a child born of their marriage
b
: a person who legally adopts a child
c
: a person or entity that owes to a child a legally imposed duty of support
d
: a stepparent where designated by statute
2
: an entity or group that gives rise to or acquires another usually subsidiary entity or group
a parent company
specifically
: a corporation that owns a required minimum percentage of the stock of another corporation compare affiliate
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