mother country

1
as in birthplace
a place of origin Greece can boast to being the mother country of democracy

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2
as in home
the land of one's birth, residence, or citizenship even after decades of living in their adopted nation, they maintained a strong attachment to the mother country

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mother country The prime minister of Greenland called on the country to strive for greater independence from its mother country, Denmark, in a New Year’s address delivered this week, in light of the controversy surrounding President-elect Donald Trump’s calls for the U.S. to purchase the island. Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 3 Jan. 2025 Korea, director Bong’s mother country, was our first choice in terms of where to debut the film. Patrick Frater, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024 In my mother country, all the tools of propaganda would keep painful truths at bay. Vadim Smyslov, WIRED, 21 Feb. 2024 Their sources of intelligence repeatedly assured British leaders that the great majority of the colonists remained loyal to the mother country. T.h. Breen, The New York Review of Books, 2 Feb. 2023 See All Example Sentences for mother country
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mother country
Noun
  • Guimarães Why: Known as the birthplace of Portugal, Guimarães blends medieval charm with modern livability.
    Laura Begley Bloom, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
  • The iconic bar, birthplace of the boozy Singapore Sling, tends to hog the cocktail spotlight.
    Adam Erace, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 May 2025
Noun
  • The furnished homes, which include one-to-three-bed apartments, one-bed duplexes, and four-bed ultra-luxurious penthouses, will have interiors that evoke the signature glamor associated with the Waldorf Astoria brand.
    Kissa Castaneda, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
  • In 2020, Hilco Redevelopment Partners botched the demolition of an old coal plant’s smokestack, blanketing Little Village homes with dust and debris.
    Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2025
Noun
  • Bonus: There are cradles for your dumbbells, along with a tablet holder.
    Sara Coughlin, SELF, 28 May 2025
  • Spanning 17 autonomous regions and two small enclaves in North Africa, the country is a cradle of diverse cultures, geography, traditions, even languages.
    Siobhan Reid, Vogue, 28 May 2025
Noun
  • My country, Nigeria, was long caught in the throes of statism—and crisis after crisis followed.
    Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025
  • The two countries did agree on exchanging bodies of soldiers killed in action.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 3 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mother country.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mother%20country. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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