father

father — noun

1. a male parent who raises one or more children, whether they are his biological o

1.nounA1
Definition

a male parent who raises one or more children, whether they are his biological offspring or adopted and part of his family

Example

Felipe became a father when his daughter was born last spring.

become a father — common collocation for first-time parenthood

Yael's father taught her how to fish at the lake near their home.

Common collocations
  • become a father
  • single father
  • expectant father
  • father-to-be
  • father of the bride
  • like father, like son
Synonyms
  • dad

    informal; the most common everyday term for a male parent

  • daddy

    affectionate or child-like term, mainly used by young children

  • parent

    gender-neutral; can refer to either a mother or a father

Antonyms
  • mother

    the female parent of a child

Grammar Patterns

father + of + [child/children]

Usage Note

In everyday speech, 'dad' is more common than 'father'. 'Father' sounds more formal or distant. The possessive 'father's' is frequently used in front of nouns, as in 'father's day' or 'father's car'.

Common Mistakes

I'm going to my father house.
I'm going to my father's house.
'Father' needs a possessive 's when it owns something.
He is my father-in-low.
He is my father-in-law.
The correct spelling is 'in-law', not 'in-low'.

2. a formal title for Christian clergy, most commonly used within the Roman Catholi

2.nounB1
Definition

a formal title for Christian clergy, most commonly used within the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions

Example

Father Dewi spoke at the wedding ceremony last Saturday afternoon.

Father + [name] — title used before a priest's name, always capitalized

Eliska's family goes to see Father Naoko for confession every month.

Common collocations
  • Father [surname]
  • Father [first name]
  • Holy Father
Synonyms
  • priest

    the general term for a person who performs religious ceremonies

  • pastor

    used mainly in Protestant churches, not interchangeable with 'Father'

Grammar Patterns

Father + [name]

Father + bare title

Usage Note

Always capitalized when used as a title before a name. This form of address is specific to Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and some Anglican traditions. Protestant clergy are typically called 'Pastor', 'Reverend', or 'Minister', not 'Father'.

Common Mistakes

The new father at our church is very kind.
The new priest at our church is very kind.
'Father' is a title before a name, not a standalone job description.

3. the term that Christians use when speaking of God as a caring parent who watches

3.nounB1
Definition

the term that Christians use when speaking of God as a caring parent who watches over all people and creation

Example

During the service, the congregation thanked the Father for the harvest.

thank the Father — religious register, always capitalized

The children recited the Lord's Prayer, starting with the words 'Our Father'.

Common collocations
  • God the Father
  • Heavenly Father
  • Our Father
  • the Father

Grammar Patterns

the Father

Our Father

Usage Note

Always capitalized. This sense appears most often in prayer, worship songs, and theological writing. In the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, 'the Father' is the first person, distinct from the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit.

Common Mistakes

God the father loves everyone.
God the Father loves everyone.
When referring to the Christian God, 'Father' must be capitalized.

4. a man who creates or starts something important, such as an organization or acad

4.nounB2
Definition

a man who creates or starts something important, such as an organization or academic field, and is later seen as its originator

Example

Defne read about the father of modern medicine in her science class.

father of [field] — fixed phrase for originator of a branch of knowledge

The university gave an award to the man known as the father of computer science.

Common collocations
  • founding father
  • father of modern [field]
  • father of [art/science/movement]
Synonyms
  • founder

    more general term; does not carry the metaphorical 'parent' connotation

  • originator

    emphasizes being the first to think of or create something

  • pioneer

    highlights being among the first to explore or develop a new area

Grammar Patterns

father + of + [field/institution/movement]

Usage Note

This sense often appears in fixed phrases: 'founding father' (someone who helped establish an institution or country) and 'father of [field]' (the first major figure in a discipline). The word is metaphorical — no actual family relationship is implied.

Idioms

like father, like son

idiom

used to say that a son behaves in a similar way to his father, usually referring to habits or character

Young Hari loves fixing old cars, just like his dad — like father, like son.

old enough to be somebody's father

idiom

used to comment that one person is much older than another, especially in a way that makes a romantic relationship seem unsuitable

People whispered that the singer's new partner was old enough to be her father.

the wish is father to the thought

idiom

used to say that people are likely to believe something simply because they want it to be true

He convinced himself the exam would be easy, but the wish was father to the thought.

from father to son

idiom

Passed down through generations within a family.

The family farm has been passed from father to son for centuries.

This tradition has been handed down from father to son since the 1800s.

old enough to be somebody’s father/mother

idiom

Used to say that someone is much older than another person, often implying a relationship is inappropriate.

Maya's new boyfriend is old enough to be her father.

Is Diego really old enough to be your mother?

father — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These words all refer to a male parent but differ sharply in formality and usage. 'Dad' is the most common everyday term — natural in casual conversation ('My dad picks me up from school') and in writing that aims for a warm tone. 'Father' is more formal and often appears in official documents, literature, or polite reference ('Her father signed the permission form'). 'Daddy' is an affectionate or child-like term used mainly by young children or in intimate family settings; adults rarely use it outside certain regional or cultural contexts. 'Papa' is a less common variant used in some families or regions, such as parts of the southern United States or French-influenced areas. 'Parent' is gender-neutral and covers both mothers and fathers, making it the right choice in official or inclusive language ('A parent must sign the form'). For a learner: use 'dad' in daily conversation, 'father' in writing or formal situations, and 'parent' when the gender is unknown or irrelevant.

dad ↗daddy ↗papa ↗parent ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • father figure
  • Father's Day
  • fatherhood
  • fatherland

Phrases

Prepositions

  • father of

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishEnglish

The word 'father' comes from Old English 'fæder', which can be traced back through Proto-Germanic '*fadēr' all the way to the ancient Proto-Indo-European root '*ph₂tḗr'. This same ancient root also produced Latin 'pater' (source of 'paternal', 'patriot'), Greek 'patēr', and Sanskrit 'pitṛ'. The word has stayed remarkably stable across thousands of years because the concept of a male parent is central to every human society. The use of 'Father' for a priest or for God developed later, drawing on the idea of a father as a protector and authority figure.