father
male parent
Examples
3 of 5My father makes breakfast every Sunday morning.
My dad prepares the morning meal every Sunday.
The biological father must sign the legal birth certificate.
The man who is the genetic parent needs to sign the official document.
Is your father coming to the party later?
Is your dad joining the celebration today?
Word Family
Memory Tip
Think of the first two letters 'FA' as standing for 'FAmily'. A father is the male head of the family.
Quick Quiz
My ___ is a doctor and he works at the local hospital.
Correct!
The correct answer is: father
Examples
My father makes breakfast every Sunday morning.
everydayMy dad prepares the morning meal every Sunday.
The biological father must sign the legal birth certificate.
formalThe man who is the genetic parent needs to sign the official document.
Is your father coming to the party later?
informalIs your dad joining the celebration today?
The study examines the impact of the father's presence on early literacy.
academicThe research looks at how having a male parent around helps children learn to read.
He requested a leave of absence to become a stay-at-home father.
businessHe asked for time off to be the primary parent at home.
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
Like father, like son
A son often behaves or looks like his father
Father Time
A personification of time as an old man
The father of...
The man who invented or started a specific thing
Often Confused With
'Father' is a parent; 'farther' refers to a greater physical distance.
Usage Notes
While 'father' is neutral and polite, 'dad' is much more common in daily conversation. 'Father' is often used as a title for priests in certain Christian denominations.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes forget that 'Father' should be capitalized when used as a name (e.g., 'I told Father') but lowercase when used with a possessive (e.g., 'my father').
Memory Tip
Think of the first two letters 'FA' as standing for 'FAmily'. A father is the male head of the family.
Word Origin
From Old English 'fæder', derived from an ancient Proto-Indo-European root that also produced the Latin 'pater'.
Grammar Patterns
Cultural Context
In many cultures, Father's Day is a specific holiday dedicated to honoring fathers and their influence in society.
Quick Quiz
My ___ is a doctor and he works at the local hospital.
Correct!
The correct answer is: father
Related Grammar Rules
Related Vocabulary
A daughter is a female child or person in relation to her pa...
familyrelatives
parentA parent is a mother or father who cares for and raises a ch...
sonA male child or man in relation to his parents. It is a fund...
grandfatherA grandfather is the father of a person's father or mother....
More family words
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