as in language
the stock of words, pronunciation, and grammar used by a people as their basic means of communication
although the anthropologist could speak the local language fairly well, she was always glad to find someone who shared her mother tongue
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of mother tongue
But most also want their children to first gain a strong grounding in their mother tongue.
—
Chris Buckley, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Childhood friends in Belfast meet and start making sick beats with their music teacher, and the trio's use of the country's mother tongue fuels a youth movement against the establishment.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 24 Dec. 2024
The results were weighted according to age, gender, mother tongue, region, education and presence of children in the household.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
Likewise, most of the world’s approximately 400 million native English speakers had other mother tongues in their families until relatively recently.
—Ross Perlin, The Dial, 14 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for mother tongue
Chris Buckley, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Childhood friends in Belfast meet and start making sick beats with their music teacher, and the trio's use of the country's mother tongue fuels a youth movement against the establishment.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 24 Dec. 2024
The results were weighted according to age, gender, mother tongue, region, education and presence of children in the household.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
Likewise, most of the world’s approximately 400 million native English speakers had other mother tongues in their families until relatively recently.
—Ross Perlin, The Dial, 14 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for mother tongue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mother tongue
Noun
-
The production contains adult language and addresses sensitive topics, including bipolar disorder, anxiety, grief, a suicide attempt, loss of a child and the use of psychiatric medication, the release said.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2025
-
On Thursday, Nvidia launched a language learning platform using artificial intelligence that promises to do just that for American Sign Language learners, in partnership with the American Society for Deaf Children and creative agency Hello Monday.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN,
20 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The distinct local vocabulary is sprinkled with Guaraní, an Indigenous language widely spoken in neighboring Paraguay.—
Graciela Mochkofsky,
The New Yorker,
11 Feb. 2025
-
Pulp Fiction might be the dictionary of his cinematic vocabulary, offering insights into the language of his other works.—
Paul Fitzgerald,
Rolling Stone,
7 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The team even placed small objects in the unconscious animal's mouths, which tongue pulling dislodged.—
Jonathan Lambert,
NPR,
21 Feb. 2025
-
Researchers also took a small biopsy of each participant's tongue, to analyze genes tied to taste buds.—
Becky Upham,
EverydayHealth.com,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
What could be more revealing, fragile, and intimate — in any dialect — than the loneliness that pushes someone’s attempt to make a friend?—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
15 Feb. 2025
-
Even today, traces of French can be found in the local dialect; the Palermitan aristocracy once spoke fluent French and frequently sent their chefs to Paris to master the art of haute cuisine.—
Tiziana Cardini,
Vogue,
27 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Knowing the correct four-word idioms is a sign of education.—
Rachel Chang,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Feb. 2025
-
Glover’s score — for rock band, piano and acoustic strings — evokes pop idioms while politely sidestepping direct quotation.—
Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim,
New York Times,
20 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mother tongue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mother%20tongue. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share