Thesaurus results for MOTHER TONGUES

mother tongues

noun

plural of mother tongue

as in languages

the stock of words, pronunciation, and grammar used by a people as their basic means of communication although the anthropologist could speak the local language fairly well, she was always glad to find someone who shared her mother tongue

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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 tongues Each actress nails the comedic timing – and the accented English that flows with the cadence of their mother tongues. — Elizabeth B. Kim, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Nov. 2025 Work with people of different ages, backgrounds, perspectives, and mother tongues. — Rachel Konrad, Time, 9 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mother tongues

Noun

Minionese blends fragments of half a dozen languages, English, French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, and others, so the dialogue would feel familiar to audiences everywhere rather than tied to any one country.

— David Deal, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
They can also be used for de-aging characters, creating performances in different languages, or preserving the voice or likeness of an actor whose health is deteriorating, as was the case with CAA client Eric Dane.

— Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 6 July 2026

Definition of languages

Noun

The sides went back and forth, trading songs in their native tongues, and friendly taunts in English.

— Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 6 July 2026
By flicking their tongues, snakes can detect the scent trails left by potential prey, such as rodents or birds, and accurately track and capture them even in the dark or in complex environments.

— Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 July 2026

Definition of tongues

Noun

On the one hand, the translation serves as a source for the idioms of nineteenth-century English; on the other, as evidence of the ideas that the translator held about a Colombian woman writer.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2026
Out of love for different sound systems, different writing systems, different grammars, different sets of concepts, different idioms, different ways of seeing the world.

— Douglas Hofstadter, Time, 30 June 2026

Definition of idioms

Noun

Unlike the brighter, more melodic style often associated with Austria and the Tyrol region, Swiss yodeling is slower and more melancholic — an emotionally nuanced tradition rooted in distinct regional dialects.

— Jez Fielder, Fortune, 30 June 2026
Unlike the brighter, more melodic style often associated with Austria and the Tyrol region, Swiss yodeling is slower and more melancholic — an emotionally nuanced tradition rooted in distinct regional dialects.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 June 2026

Definition of dialects

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mother tongue

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

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Synonyms of mother tongues

noun

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