The meaning of the word parents

Depending on your point of view, you might not be ­surprised to learn that permissive parents don’t get more truth-telling from their teens than stricter ­parents. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Promoted to Headline (H3) on 3/26/09: Is parents ‘rally in Boston a harbinger of wider protests? yahooBuzzArticleHeadline =’ Is parents ‘rally in Boston a harbinger of wider protests?’ ❋ Unknown (2009)

In Honor of Anthony and Mary Guarisco (A Son’s Tribute to his parents ‘many accomplishments in life) yahooBuzzArticleHeadline =’ In Honor of Anthony and Mary Guarisco (A Son’s Tribute to his parents ‘many accomplishments in life)’; yahooBuzzArticleSummary = ‘Article: Operation Crossroads was a series of two 23-kiloton plutonium atomic bomb tests in which the US government used 42,000 of its own uniformed citizens as guinea pigs. ❋ Unknown (2008)

” In pure Malay society, we are told, a man is never asked his name, and the custom of naming parents after their children is adopted only as a means of avoiding the use of the parents’ own names. ❋ Unknown (1922)

Marriage without consent of parents they do not make void, but they mulct19 it in the inheritors: for the children of such marriages are not admitted to inherit above a third part of their parents’ inheritance. ❋ Unknown (1909)

Young persons need to be reminded, however, that even the impiety of parents is no sufficient reason for disrespecting them _as parents_; and if you possess the inestimable treasure of religion, it will be best evinced in soothing the cares, ministering to the necessities, and setting an example of every duty before the eyes of those who are still so unhappy as to be destitute of it. ❋ Francis Augustus Cox (1818)

Luz is 43 years old and lives with her 3 children and parents in her parents´ house. ❋ Unknown (2009)

School district officials ought to have the authority to send violent kids under 18 to state boarding schools *without the consent of their parents* if disciplinary problems inside and outside the school committed by the violent kids are proven and properly documented – if a trial by the district convicts the children, the children will be sent away and will be unable to leave, and the parents will only be able to get them out if the conviction is reversed. ❋ Unknown (2009)

(γονεῖς): these are — parents, grandparents and _their parents_, if they are still alive: ❋ Unknown (1906)

My cousin Wendy has moved back home and is staying with her parents (my Rocking Aunt and Uncle who I adore and wish had been MY OWN parents… ❋ Trulypoetic (2005)

Throughout this chapter, I use the word parents only for convenience. ❋ Sean Covey (2006)

For since it was likely they would say, ` Can you not have both us and ours? ‘he adds with much grace this excuse for them, saying, «For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children;» instead of teachers and disciples, employing the term parents and children, and showing that he does as a matter of duty what was not of duty. ❋ Editor (1889)

If one of your parents is addicted to gambling the odds are high that you will be as well, research has revealed. ❋ Unknown (2010)

Dear Frank, the archive of my parents is accessible at the Deutsche Museum in Munich. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Moving in with your parents is always a strange thing. ❋ Unknown (2010)

Taking children away from their parents is a very big deal and should never be done without an exceptionally good reason. ❋ Unknown (2008)

(If it is, then removing children from their parents is a worse one.) ❋ Unknown (2008)

i’d be [getting laid] [if it] weren’t for my parents. ❋ Amanda (2004)

it never occurs to parents that it doesn’t [take] [a genius] to get [knocked up]. ❋ Happiness_is (2006)

[Parents] [dont] know what [its like] to be us. ❋ Loathsome Child (2005)

parents think they [rule] [the world], but they just [invaded] it. ❋ Megatron Prime (2019)

[Screw] parents, take care of your [F-ing] self. Get out as soon as you can, before you end up having to change their [diapers]. ❋ Chrizzy (2006)

My parents [ruined] my life.
When [3 am] becomes late you must be a [parent]. ❋ Da Zeg (2005)

Your [the reason] that everything [in my life] [sucks] ❋ Sarah (2004)

My parents just [told] me that [i have to go] home [tomorrow]. ❋ Anonymous (2003)

1. parent A and parent B are my parents.
2. parent A told me, «You cannot go to your friends party. if that means me not getting to get my hair done, [so be it]. as long as you are in pain.»
3. «Parent B, can I go to the mall tomorrow?»
«No.»
«Why?»
«[Because I said so].»
«What kind of answer is that?»
«BE QUIET OR I WILL TAKE AWAY YOUR IPOD»
«Mom, I paid for it!»
«I’M THE PARENT HERE, I CAN STILL TAKE IT.»
4. Suzie said, «I’d rather [eat a scorpion] then visit my parents for the holidays.»
*group of friends laugh*
5. Parent B says, «YOU’LL THANK ME FOR THIS 10 YEARS FROM NOW!!!!!!!»
[-10] years later-
«Boy am I glad I’m not a teen anymore, my parents ruined my childhood.» Says Joe.
6. Parent A: YOU CAN’T LISTEN TO RAP!!!!
Ann: Why? I like it!
Parent A: DOESNT MATTER!!! I DONT LIKE IT SO YOU CANT EITHER!!!! AND YOU CANT WEAR ABERCROMBIE EITHER BECAUSE I DONT LIKE IT!!!!
Ann- It’s my music and my body!! Whats it to you?
Parent B: [GO TO YOUR ROOM], YOU WHORE
7. Parent B: If you don’t get all [A+’s], you’re not allowed to use the computer for the rest of the year.
Jon: Dad I’m in advanced math! that’s too hard!
Parent A: DONT TALK TO YOUR FATHER LIKE THAT. GO TO YOUR ROOM, [STUPID CHILD].
8. Parent A: Go to the [cvs] to get me some ointment.
Jen: mom, you said i’m not allowed to go to cvs alone.
Parent A: DONT TALK TO ME LIKE THAT. GO TO YOUR FUCKING ROOM, FUCKING WHORE.
Jen: Mom! You said not to listen to people who curse!
Parent A: FUCK YOU! LISTEN TO ME NOW YOU BITCH OR I’LL TAKE AWAY YOUR CELL PHONE AND TV.
9. Tom: Mom, can I go to [Zoe’s] party?
Parent A: NO!!! I DONT TRUST YOU!!! YOU’LL GET HER PREGNANT!!!
Tom: Why don’t you trust me? what have i done?
Parent A: BECAUSE I DONT!!! GO DO YOUR CHORES.
10. Parent B: I love you, Sally. Give me a kiss.
Sally: no thanks.
Parent B: YOUR SUPPOSED TO SAY [I LOVE YOU BACK]. ITS POLITE. GO TO YOUR ROOM STUPID CHILD.
11. Parent A: So, do you have any crushes at school?
Eva: Well… i kinda like jon. dont tell anyone.
-later that day at salon-
Parent A: Oh, Eva is totally in love with jon. *giggles*
*friends laugh along*
12. Joe: ok mom i’m going to [liam’s] house. bye!!
Parent B: NO YOU CAN’T. YOUR GONNA GO WITH US TO MY MOTHERS HOUSE.
Joe: but just last night you said i could go!
Parent B: DOESNT MATTER. GO TO YOUR FUCKING ROOM, YOU [LITTLE BRAT].
13 and 14, no example needed. ❋ ImSoGladIMovedOut (2008)

Hey man [your parents] [caught] you again man, did they take your [computer]? ❋ Aaron (2005)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A parent is a caregiver of the offspring in their own species. In humans, a parent is the caretaker of a child (where «child» refers to offspring, not necessarily age). A biological parent is a person whose gamete resulted in a child, a male through the sperm, and a female through the ovum. Biological parents are first-degree relatives and have 50% genetic meet. A female can also become a parent through surrogacy. Some parents may be adoptive parents, who nurture and raise an offspring, but are not biologically related to the child. Orphans without adoptive parents can be raised by their grandparents or other family members.

A parent can also be elaborated as an ancestor removed one generation. With recent medical advances, it is possible to have more than two biological parents.^[1][2][3] Examples of third biological parents include instances involving surrogacy or a third person who has provided DNA samples during an assisted reproductive procedure that has altered the recipients’ genetic material.^[4]

The most common types of parents are mothers, fathers, step-parents, and grandparents. A mother is, «a woman in relation to a child or children to whom she has given birth.»^[5] The extent to which it is socially acceptable for a parent to be involved in their offspring’s life varies from culture to culture, however one that exhibits too little involvement is sometimes said to exhibit child neglect,^[6] while one that is too involved is sometimes said to be overprotective, cosseting, nosey, or intrusive.^[7]

Types[edit]

Biological[edit]

A person’s biological parents are the persons from whom the individual inherits their genes. The term is generally only used if there is a need to distinguish an individual’s parents from their biological parents, For example, an individual whose father has remarried may call the father’s new wife their stepmother and continue to refer to their mother normally, though someone who has had little or no contact with their biological mother may address their foster parent as their mother, and their biological mother as such, or perhaps by her first name.^{[citation needed]}

Mother[edit]

A mother is a female who has a maternal connection with another individual, whether arising from conception, by giving birth to, or raising the individual in the role of a parent.^[8] More than one female may have such connections with an individual. Because of the complexity and differences of a mother’s social, cultural, and religious definitions and roles, it is challenging to define a mother to suit a universally accepted definition. The utilization of a surrogate mother may result in explication of there being two biological mothers.^[9]

Father[edit]

A father is a male parent of any type of offspring.^[10] It may be the person who shares in the raising of a child or who has provided the biological material, the sperm, which results in the birth of the child.

Grandparent[edit]

Grandparents are the parents of a person’s own parent, whether that be a father or a mother. Every sexually reproducing creature who is not a genetic chimera has a maximum of four genetic grandparents, eight genetic great-grandparents, sixteen genetic great-great-grandparents and so on. Rarely, such as in the case of sibling or half-sibling incest, these numbers are lower.

Paternity issues[edit]

A paternity test is conducted to prove paternity, that is, whether a male is the biological father of another individual. This may be relevant in view of rights and duties of the father. Similarly, a maternity test can be carried out. This is less common, because at least during childbirth and pregnancy, except in the case of a pregnancy involving embryo transfer or egg donation, it is obvious who the mother is. However, it is used in a number of events such as legal battles where a person’s maternity is challenged, where the mother is uncertain because she has not seen her child for an extended period of time, or where deceased persons need to be identified.

Although not constituting completely reliable evidence, several congenital traits such as attached earlobes, a widow’s peak, or the cleft chin, may serve as tentative indicators of (non-) parenthood as they are readily observable and inherited via autosomal-dominant genes.

A more reliable way to ascertain parenthood is via DNA analysis (known as genetic fingerprinting of individuals), although older methods have included ABO blood group typing, analysis of various other proteins and enzymes, or using human leukocyte antigens. The current techniques for paternity testing are using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. For the most part, however, genetic fingerprinting has all but taken over all the other forms of testing.

Roles and responsibilities[edit]

Guardianship[edit]

A legal guardian is a person who has the legal authority (and the corresponding duty) to care for the personal and property interests of another person, called a ward. Guardians are typically used in three situations: guardianship for an incapacitated senior (due to old age or infirmity), guardianship for a minor, and guardianship for developmentally disabled adults.

Most countries and states have laws that provide that the parents of a minor child are the legal guardians of that child, and that the parents can designate who shall become the child’s legal guardian in the event of death, subject to the approval of the court. Some jurisdictions allow a parent of a child to exercise the authority of a legal guardian without a formal court appointment. In such circumstances the parent acting in that capacity is called the natural guardian of that parent’s child.

Parenting[edit]

Parenting or child rearing is the process of promoting and supporting the physical, emotional, social, financial, and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood. Parenting refers to the aspects of raising a child aside from the biological relationship.^[11]

Gender and gender mix[edit]

A child has at least one biological father and at least one biological mother, but not every family is a traditional nuclear family. There are many variants, such as adoption, shared parenting, stepfamilies, and LGBT parenting, over which there has been controversy.

The social science literature rejects the notion that there is an optimal gender mix of parents or that children and adolescents with same-sex parents suffer any developmental disadvantages compared with those with two opposite-sex parents.^[12][13] The professionals and the major associations now agree there is a well-established and accepted consensus in the field that there is no optimal gender combination of parents.^[14] The family studies literature indicates that it is family processes (such as the quality of parenting and relationships within the family) that contribute to determining children’s well-being and «outcomes,» rather than family structures, per se, such as the number, gender, sexuality and co-habitation status of parents.^[13]

Genetics[edit]

Parent–offspring conflict[edit]

An offspring who hates their father is called a misopater, one that hates their mother is a misomater, while a parent that hates their offspring is a misopedist.^[15][16] Parent–offspring conflict describes the evolutionary conflict arising from differences in optimal fitness of parents and their offspring. While parents tend to maximize the number of offspring, the offspring can increase their fitness by getting a greater share of parental investment often by competing with their siblings. The theory was proposed by Robert Trivers in 1974 and extends the more general selfish gene theory and has been used to explain many observed biological phenomena.^[17] For example, in some bird species, although parents often lay two eggs and attempt to raise two or more young, the strongest fledgling takes a greater share of the food brought by parents and will often kill the weaker sibling, an act known as siblicide.

Empathy[edit]

David Haig has argued that human fetal genes would be selected to draw more resources from the mother than it would be optimal for the mother to give, a hypothesis that has received empirical support. The placenta, for example, secretes allocrine hormones that decrease the sensitivity of the mother to insulin and thus make a larger supply of blood sugar available to the fetus. The mother responds by increasing the level of insulin in her bloodstream, the placenta has insulin receptors that stimulate the production of insulin-degrading enzymes which counteract this effect.^[18]

Having children and happiness[edit]

In Europe, parents are generally happier than non-parents. In women, happiness increases after the first child, but having higher-order children is not associated with further increased well-being. Happiness seems to increase most in the year before and after the first childbirth.^[19]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• National Educational Network, Inc. (NENI) – free online resources for parent education, curriculum. They also have a parent blog with information about child care, after-school, trends in education, tutoring, college, grants, etc.
• Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). «Parents» . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. – A Roman Catholic view of the position of parents.

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English parent, borrowed from Anglo-Norman parent, Middle French parent, from Latin parentem, accusative of parēns (“parent”), present participle of parere (“to breed, bring forth”).

Pronunciation[edit]

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈpɛɚ.ənt/, /ˈpæɹ.ənt/; enPR: pârʹ-ənt, părʹ-ənt
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈpæɹ.ənt/, /ˈpɛə.ɹənt/; enPR: părʹ-ənt, pâʹ-rənt
• Rhymes: -ɛə(ɹ)ənt, -æɹənt

Noun[edit]

parent (plural parents)

1. One of the two persons from whom one is immediately biologically descended; a mother or father. [from 15th c.]

   After both her parents were killed in a forest fire, Sonia was adopted by her aunt and uncle.

   • 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:

     my trust / Like a good parent, did beget of him / A falsehood in it’s contrarie, as great / As my trust was, which had indeede no limit, / A confidence sans bound.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 9:19–20:

     And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see? His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind […]

   • 2005, Siobhan O’Neill, The Guardian, 24 Aug 2005:

     The NHS is naturally pro-immunisation, reassuring parents that their babies can easily cope with these jabs.

   Synonyms: genitor, progenitor

   Antonyms: child, offspring

   Hyponyms: father, mother

2. A surrogate parent
3. A third person who has provided DNA samples in an IVF procedure in order to alter faulty genetic material
4. A person who acts as a parent in rearing a child; a step-parent or adoptive parent.

   • 2013 June 7, Joseph Stiglitz, “Globalisation is about taxes too”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 19:

     It is time the international community faced the reality: we have an unmanageable, unfair, distortionary global tax regime. […] It is the starving of the public sector which has been pivotal in America no longer being the land of opportunity – with a child’s life prospects more dependent on the income and education of its parents than in other advanced countries.

5. (obsolete) A relative. [15th–18th c.]
6. The source or origin of something. [from 16th c.]
   • 1785, Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia:

     Misery is often the parent of the most affecting touches in poetry.

   • 1789, The Critical Review, Or, Annals of Literature (volume 68, page 341)

     Indolence and unalimentary food are the parents of this disease; but to neither are Indians accustomed.

7. (biology) An organism from which a plant or animal is immediately biologically descended. [from 17th c.]
8. (attributive) Sponsor, supporter, owner, protector. ^[1]

   • 1944, Miles Burton, The Three Corpse Trick, chapter 5:

     The dinghy was trailing astern at the end of its painter, and Merrion looked at it as he passed. He saw that it was a battered-looking affair of the prahm type, with a blunt snout, and like the parent ship, had recently been painted a vivid green.

   1. A parent company. [from 20th c.]

      • 2013 June 22, “T time”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8841, page 68:

        The ability to shift profits to low-tax countries by locating intellectual property in them […] is often assumed to be the preserve of high-tech companies. […] current tax rules make it easy for all sorts of firms to generate […] “stateless income”: profit subject to tax in a jurisdiction that is neither the location of the factors of production that generate the income nor where the parent firm is domiciled.

9. (computing) The object from which a child or derived object is descended; a node superior to another node. [from 20th c.]

   Synonym: mother

   Antonym: child

10. (physics) The nuclide that decays into a daughter nuclide.

Derived terms[edit]

[edit]

Translations[edit]

Verb[edit]

parent (third-person singular simple present parents, present participle parenting, simple past and past participle parented)

1. To act as parent, to raise or rear.

   Synonyms: raise, rear

   • 2006, Natalie Bandlow, Parent to Child the Guide: How to Create a Comprehensive And Meaningful Journal to Prepare Your Child for Life, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 1:

     However, even with money and caregivers, the child is left without a parent and most likely without a plan for their emotional, psychological, and spiritual well-being. A time will come when you will no longer be able to parent your child, period.

Derived terms[edit]

• parenting

Translations[edit]

See also[edit]

• foster

References[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

• -pteran, Panter, Parten, arpent, enrapt, entrap, panter, trepan

Catalan[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin parentem.

Pronunciation[edit]

• (Balearic) IPA^(key): /pəˈɾent/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /pəˈɾen/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /paˈɾent/

Noun[edit]

parent m (plural parents, feminine parenta)

1. relative (someone in the same family)

Derived terms[edit]

• emparentar

[edit]

• parentiu

References[edit]

• “parent” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “parent”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2023
• “parent” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “parent” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

French[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Middle French parent, from Old French parent, from Latin parentem, accusative singular of parēns.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /pa.ʁɑ̃/
  • (Quebec) IPA^(key): [paˈʁã] ^help

Noun[edit]

parent m (plural parents, feminine parente)

1. relative, relation, family member
   • 1862, Victor Hugo, Les Misérables, I.1.iv:

     Une de ses parentes éloignées, madame la comtesse de Lô, laissait rarement échapper une occasion d’énumérer en sa présence ce qu’elle appelait «les espérances» de ses trois fils.

     One of his distant relatives, the countess of Lô, rarely missed an opportunity to list, in his presence, what she called her «hopes» for her three sons.

   Nous devons toujours être aux côtés de nos parents et de nos amis.

   We must always stand by our family and our friends.

2. (Louisiana, in the singular) parent
3. (in the plural) ancestors
4. (especially in the plural) parents

Derived terms[edit]

Adjective[edit]

parent (feminine parente, masculine plural parents, feminine plural parentes)

1. related
2. similar

Derived terms[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /paʁ/
• Homophones: pare, pares

Verb[edit]

parent

1. third-person plural present indicative/subjunctive of parer

Further reading[edit]

• “parent”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams[edit]

• arpent, râpent

Latin[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈpa.rent/, [ˈpärɛn̪t̪]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈpa.rent/, [ˈpäːren̪t̪]

Verb[edit]

parent

1. third-person plural present active subjunctive of parō

Verb[edit]

pārent

1. third-person plural present active indicative of pāreō

Middle French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old French parent.

Noun[edit]

parent m (plural parens)

1. parent

Descendants[edit]

• French: parent

Norman[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• pathent (Jersey)

Etymology[edit]

From Old French parent, from Latin parēns, parentem, from pariō, parere (“bring forth, give birth to, produce”).

Noun[edit]

parent m (plural parents)

1. (Guernsey) parent

   Hyponyms: mère, père

Old French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin parēns, parentem.

Noun[edit]

parent m (oblique plural parenz or parentz, nominative singular parenz or parentz, nominative plural parent)

1. parent

Derived terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

• → Middle English: parent
  • English: parent
• Middle French: parent
  • French: parent
• Norman: parent (Guernsey), pathent (Jersey)