parent English · revision 4423

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1413|origins=la parens}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈpeə.rənt/, US /ˈper.ənt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|parent]],^(MWU 2024) [[bor|fro|parent|t=father, parent, relative, kin]] (11th century),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and directly [[der|la|parēns|t=father or mother, ancestor]], plural parentēs,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) a noun use of the participle of parere “to bring forth, give birth to, produce”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[ine-pro|*perH-|alt=*pere-|t=to produce, bring forth]].^(Etymonline) It is related to [[pare]] and [[viper]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A progenitor, forefather: 1413 in the OED;^(OED 1989) the plural parents before 1410 in Barnhart.^(Barnhart 1988) Father or mother: about 1450 in the OED,^(OED 1989) the early 15th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) It is found as a surname in the late 12th century.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It began to replace the native word elder about 1500.^(Etymonline) A relative or kinsman, as in French and the other Romance languages, is from before 1450 and now obsolete.^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986) A person acting as a parent is from 1526,^(OED 1989) a source or cause from 1590,^(OED 1989) and any animal or plant in relation to its offspring from 1774.^(OED 1989) The attributive use, as in ''parent company'', is from 1646.^(OED 1989) The verb, to be or act as a parent to, is from 1663,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) and intransitive ''parenting'' from 1959, in American English.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) ''Parentage'' is from 1490,^(Barnhart 1988) ''parental'' 1623^(Barnhart 1988) and ''parenthood'' 1856.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1413 – a progenitor.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1450 – father or mother.^(OED 1989)

+ * a. 1450 – a relative (obsolete).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1490 – ''parentage''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1590 – a source.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1663 – verb.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1774 – of animals and plants.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1959 – ''parenting''.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[father]] or [[mother]], or a person who raises a child.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An [[ancestor]].^(AHD)

+ # An animal or plant that produces offspring.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A source or origin; also used of a company that owns others: ''parent company''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To act as a parent to; to raise and nurture.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[parenthood]]

+ * [[parental]]

+ * [[parentally]]

+ * [[parentless]]

+ * [[parentlike]]

+ * [[stepparent]]

+ * [[parentage]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[antepartum]]

+ * [[parous]]

+ * [[-parous]]

+ * [[pare]]

+ * [[viper]]

+ * [[parturition]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}