birth mother

noun

: the mother of a child when the child is born
specifically : a woman who gave birth to a child who has been adopted
They had turned to an open adoption after pursuing infertility treatments for 18 years, and the birth mother had agreed to relinquish custody at the hospital. —Emily Nussbaum

Examples of birth mother in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The show ends with Connor and Annie’s birth mother wanting to get in touch with him. — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2026 Carlos and Rosa Garcia say their family moved from New York to Virginia five years ago, and Brandon Garcia, who was adopted, was in Yonkers to visit his birth mother. — Tony Aiello, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026 When that fragile future is suddenly thrown into jeopardy by the birth mother expressing regrets, both Irene and the baby flee into the night. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 24 July 2026 The birth mother of a 7-year-old girl from Long Island, New York, is planning to sue the county and school district following the death of her daughter in December 2025. — Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for birth mother

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of birth mother was in 1906

Rhymes for birth mother

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Browse Nearby Words

birthmark
birth mother
birthnight
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Cite this Entry

“Birth mother.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/birth%20mother. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Legal Definition

birth mother

noun
birth moth·​er
: the woman who gave birth to a child especially as distinguished from the child's adoptive mother
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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