mother country

noun

Definition of mother countrynext
1
as in birthplace
a place of origin Greece can boast to being the mother country of democracy

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in home
the land of one's birth, residence, or citizenship even after decades of living in their adopted nation, they maintained a strong attachment to the mother country

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mother country Men arrived armed with Western money, built up commercial operations, exploited the local population and sent most of the profits back to the mother country. — Hettie O'Brien, The Dial, 21 Apr. 2026 This founding tenet of the Bel Paese now looks set to change — ending diaspora dreams of returning to the mother country, and meaning that Italians who move abroad risk denying citizenship to their descendants. — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 14 Mar. 2026 The world premiere by Burlingame playwright Geetha Reddy starts off as an HR dispute about sexism at an aerospace company, only to tap into centuries-old resentments dating from Indian immigrant employees’ mother country. — Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Feb. 2026 Since the condition of the Royal Navy was of prime importance to the British Parliament, during the colonial era that body passed several acts that sought to entice or compel colonists in British North America to produce naval stores for the benefit of the mother country. — Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mother country
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mother country
  1. birthplace
  2. home
  3. cradle
  4. country
Noun
  • Khamenei’s body will then be returned to Iran to be buried Thursday at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, his birthplace.
    — Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • The capital of Italy’s Tuscany region, Florence is the historic birthplace of the Renaissance.
    — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of birthplace
Noun
  • Seigler slid headfirst into home and collided with Teel, who had dropped onto a knee slide of his own.
    — Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 9 July 2026
  • Woodpeckers, owls and raptors are also out and about close to home, but might be harder to spot.
    — Lesly Gregory, AJC.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of home
Noun
  • Capital of Tuscany, cradle of the Renaissance, and one of Italy’s most popular destinations, Florence needs little introduction.
    — Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2026
  • On July 4, in addition to watching the fireworks, millions of Americans were watching France take on Paraguay in the cradle of independence, Philadelphia.
    — Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026
Definition of cradle
Noun
  • Like previous host countries, Turkey is likely to use the summit to put its own security concerns and defense industry on the agenda.
    — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 6 July 2026
  • And, in a country struck by tragedy, this loss felt close to home.
    — Liana Handler Follow, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of country

Browse Nearby Words

mother countries
mother country
mothered
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Cite this Entry

“Mother country.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mother%20country. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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