marâtre

French

Etymology

Inherited from Old French marastre, from Late Latin mātrastra (“stepmother”), from Latin māter (“mother”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma.ʁatʁ/ ~ /ma.ʁɑtʁ/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

marâtre f (plural marâtres, masculine parâtre)

1. (dated) stepmother (especially an evil one)

   Synonym: belle-mère

2. (by extension) bad or uncaring mother

Coordinate terms

• fillâtre
• filsâtre
• frarâtre
• frèrâtre
• parâtre
• sœurâtre
• sorâtre

Further reading

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