A2 noun Neutral #315 most common

parent

/ˈpeə.rənt/

A parent is a mother or father who cares for and raises a child. It can also refer to a legal guardian who has the primary responsibility for a minor's upbringing and development.

Examples

3 of 5
1

My parents are coming to visit this weekend.

My mother and father are visiting me this weekend.

2

The school requires a signature from a parent or legal guardian.

The institution needs an official signature from a legal caretaker.

3

Are your parents cool with you staying out late?

Do your mom and dad mind if you stay out past your curfew?

Word Family

Noun
parenthood
Verb
parent
Adverb
parentally
Adjective
parental
Related
parenting
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Memory Tip

Think of a PAir of people who pay the RENT to keep a home for their kids: PA-RENT.

Quick Quiz

Every ________ must attend the safety meeting before the school trip begins.

Correct!

The correct answer is: parent

Examples

1

My parents are coming to visit this weekend.

everyday

My mother and father are visiting me this weekend.

2

The school requires a signature from a parent or legal guardian.

formal

The institution needs an official signature from a legal caretaker.

3

Are your parents cool with you staying out late?

informal

Do your mom and dad mind if you stay out past your curfew?

4

The study examines the influence of parent involvement on student achievement.

academic

The research looks at how guardian participation affects academic performance.

5

We offer flexible hours for employees who are parents.

business

The company provides adaptable schedules for staff members who have children.

Word Family

Noun
parenthood
Verb
parent
Adverb
parentally
Adjective
parental
Related
parenting

Common Collocations

single parent a person bringing up a child without a partner
adoptive parent a person who has legally become the parent of a child
parent company a company that owns or controls another company
proud parent a mother or father feeling great satisfaction in their child
foster parent someone who looks after a child for a period of time

Common Phrases

parent-teacher conference

a meeting between parents and teachers to discuss a student's progress

like parent, like child

used to say that a child behaves like their mother or father

planned parenthood

the practice of choosing when to have children

Often Confused With

parent vs relative

A parent is specifically a mother or father, while a relative can be anyone in the extended family like an aunt or cousin.

parent vs peasant

Learners sometimes confuse the sounds, but a peasant is a historical term for a poor farmer.

📝

Usage Notes

The term 'parent' is gender-neutral. Use it when the specific gender of the mother or father is unknown, irrelevant, or to include both.

⚠️

Common Mistakes

Learners often use the singular 'parent' when they mean both people; use 'parents' for the pair. Also, don't confuse the noun with the verb form which means 'to act as a parent'.

💡

Memory Tip

Think of a PAir of people who pay the RENT to keep a home for their kids: PA-RENT.

📖

Word Origin

From the Latin 'parens', meaning 'one who gives birth' or 'begetter'.

Grammar Patterns

Countable noun: one parent, two parents Can be used as a collective noun in the plural: my parents
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Cultural Context

In many modern Western societies, the term 'parent' increasingly includes non-biological guardians and same-sex couples.

Quick Quiz

Every ________ must attend the safety meeting before the school trip begins.

Correct!

The correct answer is: parent

Related Words

overcredant

C1

To accord excessive belief or trust to a statement, theory, or individual without sufficient verification. It describes the act of being overly ready to accept something as true, often disregarding critical analysis or conflicting evidence.

overmercery

C1

Relating to an excessive or obsessive focus on trade, commerce, and the buying or selling of goods. It describes a mindset where mercantile interests and the pursuit of commercial profit override social, ethical, or aesthetic considerations.

multihabacy

C1

To maintain a presence or existence across multiple habitats, environments, or distinct social spheres simultaneously. It describes the active process of adapting to and functioning within diverse physical or conceptual spaces.

foretheist

C1

To prefigure or establish a theological framework or belief in a deity before a main religious system becomes dominant. It is often used in academic contexts to describe the historical anticipation of a specific religious shift.

hyperultimness

C1

To reach or push a process, system, or state to its absolute final and most extreme limit of completion or perfection. It involves the deliberate act of maximizing every possible variable to achieve a definitive, ultimate result.

adnegation

C1

Adnegation is a formal term referring to the act of denial or refusal. It is most commonly used in legal, philosophical, or highly formal contexts to describe the rejection of a claim, request, or proposition.

synannous

C1

A botanical term used as a noun to refer to a plant species or specimen in which the leaves and flowers appear at the same time. It describes a specific phenological state where the vegetative and reproductive stages of a plant's annual cycle overlap perfectly.

unsumcide

C1

To intentionally dismantle a summary or total conclusion, often by breaking a consolidated result back down into its original disparate parts. It is typically used in analytical contexts to describe the invalidation or reversal of an aggregated data set.

innascible

C1

Describing something that cannot be born or has no beginning or origin. It is a highly specialized term used primarily in theology and philosophy to refer to uncreated or eternal beings.

nonanthropancy

C1

The state or quality of being non-human or the absence of human involvement, characteristics, and perspectives. It refers to entities, systems, or environments that exist or operate independently of human influence or anthropocentric values.

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