stepmother

Meaning

Noun

• The wife of one's biological father, other than one's biological mother.
• A viola, especially Viola tricolor, heartsease.

Related

Similar words

• mother-in-law
• stepdame
• stepma
• stepmam
• stepmama
• stepmamma
• stepmom
• stepmomma
• stepmommy
• stepmum
• stepmummy

Origin

• From Middle English stepmoder, from Old English stēopmōdor, from Proto-Germanic *steupamōdēr, corresponding to step- + mother.
• Cognate with Saterland Frisian Stäifmuur, Dutch stiefmoeder, German Low German Steevmoder, German Stiefmutter, Danish stedmor, Swedish styvmor, Icelandic stjúpmóðir. Compare also West Frisian styfmem.