mōdor
feminine
The Old English word for mother is mōdor.
The term refers to a female human who gives birth to or parents a child.
Meaning: female (human) who gives birth to or parents a child (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The form mōdor is the nominative singular case.
Did you know?
- The word mōdor is a cognate of the Latin mater and the Sanskrit mātr, showing a shared ancestral root in Proto-Indo-European.
- In Old English poetry, mōdor often appeared in 'kennings', which are metaphorical compound words used instead of a simple noun.
- The vowel in mōdor was a long 'o', close to the vowel in German Boot , not the short sound of modern 'mother'.
Examples in context
- Slǣwþ is āfindunge mōdor.Laziness is the mother of invention.This sentence shows the use of mōdor in a metaphorical sense regarding invention.Tatoeba #13976157 by rul, translation #11736225 by shekitten
- Mīn mōdor on myclum þearfdōme wēox.My mother grew up very poor.This sentence illustrates the use of mōdor when describing a person's upbringing.Tatoeba #13934184 by rul, translation #12421889 by Miktsoanit
- Ic wæs buton tīen wintra eald þā mīn mōdor dēad wæs.I was only ten years old when my mother died.This sentence shows the use of mōdor when referring to a deceased parent.Tatoeba #13856319 by rul, translation #13847153 by rul
- Min fæder and min modor synd gemæccuMy father and my mother are companions.
Example conversation
Eadric is asking Wulfrun about her family.
- EadricHwǣr is þīn mōdor nū?Where is your mother now?
- WulfrunMīn mōdor is on hām.My mother is at home.
- EadricIs hēo gōd?Is she well?
- WulfrunGēa, hēo is swīðe hāl.Yes, she is very healthy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mother” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
