Meaning & Definition of Father in English

1. A male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

• "His father was born in atlanta"

2. The founder of a family

• "Keep the faith of our forefathers"

3. `father' is a term of address for priests in some churches (especially the roman catholic church or the orthodox catholic church)

• `padre' is frequently used in the military

4. (christianity) any of about 70 theologians in the period from the 2nd to the 7th century whose writing established and confirmed official church doctrine

• In the roman catholic church some were later declared saints and became doctor of the church

• The best known latin church fathers are ambrose, augustine, gregory the great, and jerome

• Those who wrote in greek include athanasius, basil, gregory nazianzen, and john chrysostom

5. A person who holds an important or distinguished position in some organization

• "The tennis fathers ruled in her favor"

• "The city fathers endorsed the proposal"

6. God when considered as the first person in the trinity

• "Hear our prayers, heavenly father"

7. A person who founds or establishes some institution

• "George washington is the father of his country"

8. The head of an organized crime family

1. Make children

• "Abraham begot isaac"

• "Men often father children but don't recognize them"