English · Family & People
stepmother
/ˈstɛpmʌðə/
[/ˈstɛpmʌðə/]
father's new wife
Intermediatenoun
Definition
A woman who is married to one's father but is not one's birth mother.
Example
Her stepmother has been kind and supportive since the very beginning.
Her stepmother has been kind and supportive since the very beginning.
Etymology
From Old English "steop," meaning bereaved, plus "mother."
How & Where It’s Used
Refers to a father's later wife; often stereotyped in fairy tales.
Cultural Note
Fairy tales like Cinderella gave the "wicked stepmother" an unfair reputation.