father
gb/fˈɑðɚ/ us/fˈɑðɚ/
A1
English
~ 500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
A man who has a child
A man who has a son or daughter.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s father
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'father' with 'dad'; 'dad' is more informal and common in speech.
Synonyms
dad (Informal and affectionate term for father.)
|
parent (Gender-neutral term; can refer to either mother or father.)
Antonyms
mother (Female parent, opposite in gender to father.)
Collocations
biological father
|single father
|become a father
|proud father
|father figure
Themes
family
|daily life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- My father taught me how to ride a bike.
- He became a father at the age of 25.
- Her father works as a doctor.
- The bride was walked down the aisle by her father.
Learner examples
- My father is very kind.
- Her father is a teacher.
- I live with my father and mother.
- His father drives a bus.
Noun
B1
entity
2
A man who started something important
A man who started or created something important like a country or idea.
Usage pattern:
the father of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse this figuratively without realizing it implies great importance or origin.
Synonyms
founder (Neutral term for someone who starts something; not gender-specific.)
|
patriarch (Often used for the male head of a family or group; can be formal.)
Antonyms
successor (Someone who comes after the founder or leader.)
Collocations
founding fathers
|father of the nation
|father of modern science
Themes
history
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- George Washington is often called the father of the United States.
- Sigmund Freud is known as the father of psychoanalysis.
- He is considered the father of modern computing.
Learner examples
- George Washington is called the father of America.
- Newton is the father of modern physics.
- He is the father of this company.
Verb
B2
action
3
To be the male parent of a child
To be the man who has a child with someone.
Usage pattern:
to father [a child]
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'father' as a verb with 'raise'; 'father' refers to biological paternity, not necessarily upbringing.
Synonyms
beget (Formal or old-fashioned term for causing a child to be born.)
Antonyms
mother (To give birth to a child; female equivalent.)
Collocations
father a child
|father twins
Themes
family
|relationships
Examples
- He fathered three children during his first marriage.
- The king fathered an heir to the throne.
- She claims he fathered her baby.
Learner examples
- He fathered two children.
- The man fathered a baby with his wife.
- My uncle fathered twins.
Noun
formal
A2
entity
4
Title for certain priests
A name used to call some Christian priests.
Usage pattern:
Father [name]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'Father' as a title with 'father' meaning male parent; capitalization helps distinguish them.
Synonyms
pastor (General term for a Christian minister; not limited to Catholicism.)
|
priest (More general term for an ordained minister in certain Christian churches.)
Collocations
Father John
|Father Superior
Themes
religion
Examples
- Father Michael will lead the mass today.
- We spoke to Father Thomas about our wedding plans.
- Father Benedict has served this parish for 20 years.
Learner examples
- Father John is our priest.
- We talked to Father Paul.
- Father Peter works in our church.
Grammar
Dictionary form
father
IPA
GB/fˈɑðɚ/
US/fˈɑðɚ/
Syllables & stress
fath - er (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (fath)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: father
- Plural: fathers
Verb
- Base: father
- 3rd Person Singular: fathers
- Present Participle: fathering
- Past: fathered
Word family
Forms
fathers
noun
fathering
verb
fathered
verb
Core family
fatherly
adjective
grandfather
noun A1
Related words
fatherhood
noun
stepfather
noun A2
Negative and opposite forms
fatherless
adjective
Advanced or less common
paternal
adjective B2
paternity
noun
Expressions
father figure
1/fˈɑðɚ fˈɪɡjɚ/
fixed phrase
Man acting like a father to someone
A man who treats and guides someone like their own child, even if not related by blood.
Examples
- After his own dad died, his coach became a father figure to him.
- She saw her uncle as a father figure.
forefathers
1/fˈɔɹfˌɑðɚz/
fixed phrase
Male ancestors from long ago
Men from past generations in your family or nation.
Examples
- Our forefathers fought for our freedom.
- We honor our forefathers' traditions.
founding fathers
1/fˈaʊndɪŋ fˈɑðɚz/
fixed phrase
Men who started a nation or group
The men who started and built an important nation or group, especially the United States.
Examples
- The Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
- We studied the Founding Fathers in history class.
like father, like son
1/lˈaɪk fˈɑðɚ | lˈaɪk sˈʌn/
idiom
Son is similar to his father
A son often acts or looks like his father.
Examples
- He loves fishing just like his dad—like father, like son.
- He loves fishing, just like his dad. Like father, like son.
- He loves fishing just like his dad. Like father, like son.
- He loves fixing cars, just like his dad. Like father, like son.
- They both have the same laugh. Like father, like son.
- Both are stubborn—like father, like son.
- They both have the same laugh—like father, like son.