mother's day: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Medium-HighNeutral, Formal, Informal
Quick answer
What does “mother's day” mean?
A holiday celebrated in many countries to honor mothers and mother figures.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A holiday celebrated in many countries to honor mothers and mother figures.
An annual occasion dedicated to showing appreciation and love for mothers through cards, gifts, and special attention; often associated with family gatherings and expressions of gratitude.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The date differs. UK Mother's Day (Mothering Sunday) is the fourth Sunday in Lent (Christian calendar, March/April). US Mother's Day is the second Sunday in May.
Connotations
In the UK, retains some historical/religious (Christian) connection. In the US, it is largely a secular, commercial holiday established in the early 20th century.
Frequency
The term is equally frequent in both dialects, but the event is more commercially prominent in the US.
Grammar
How to Use “mother's day” in a Sentence
We celebrated Mother's Day with a meal.I gave my mum a gift for Mother's Day.Mother's Day falls on a Sunday.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “mother's day” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- We will Mother's Day her with breakfast in bed. (informal, non-standard, rare)
- The children mothered their mum on Mother's Day. (verb derived from noun 'mother')
American English
- Let's Mother's Day mom with a homemade card. (informal, non-standard, rare)
- They decided to mother her all day for Mother's Day. (verb)
adjective
British English
- Mother's Day preparations
- Mother's Day menu
American English
- Mother's Day shopping
- Mother's Day weekend
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Retail marketing campaigns, promotions for gifts, flowers, and dining.
Academic
Rare; may appear in sociological, historical, or cultural studies discussing holidays and family rituals.
Everyday
Planning celebrations, discussing gifts, sending greetings.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “mother's day”
Neutral
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “mother's day”
- Misspelling as "Mothers Day" (omitting the apostrophe).
- Writing in lowercase: "mother's day".
- Using wrong date in intercultural contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is 'Mother's Day' (singular possessive), meaning 'a day for each individual mother'.
In the US and many countries: second Sunday in May. In the UK (Mothering Sunday): fourth Sunday in Lent (March/April). Dates vary globally.
It is not a federal/public holiday in the US or UK where businesses close, but it is widely observed on a Sunday.
Modern US Mother's Day was founded by Anna Jarvis in 1908. The UK 'Mothering Sunday' has older roots in a Christian tradition of visiting one's 'mother church'.
A holiday celebrated in many countries to honor mothers and mother figures.
Mother's day is usually neutral, formal, informal in register.
Mother's day: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmʌð.əz deɪ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmʌð.ɚz deɪ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the apostrophe before the S: one day for one MOTHER'S appreciation.
Conceptual Metaphor
A DAY IS A CONTAINER FOR GRATITUDE; HONOR IS A GIFT.
Practice
Quiz
What is a key difference between UK and US Mother's Day?