father

Reading level: easy

Estimated CEFR level: A1 — Beginner

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
  2. noun the founder of a family
  3. noun `Father' is a term of address for priests in some churches (especially the Roman Catholic Church or the Orthodox Catholic Church); `Padre' is frequently used in the military

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English fader, from Old English fæder, from Proto-West Germanic *fader, from Proto-Germanic *fadēr, from Proto-Indo-European *ph₂tḗr, from possibly *peh₂- + *-tḗr. Doublet of ayr, faeder, athair, padre, pater, and père.

In classic literature

Synonyms

male parent, begetter

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