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Definition of mothership

mothership

/ˈmʌðərˌʃɪp/
moth · er · ship
Plural:motherships
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mothership Lexical Profile

mothership Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A large ship, aircraft, or spacecraft that carries, launches, supplies, or directs smaller vessels or vehicles.

Example

"The deep-sea submersible detached from the mothership to begin surveying the ocean floor."

2

A main headquarters, parent organization, or central facility that oversees or supports smaller branches or operations.

Example

"Every autumn, regional managers fly to the corporate mothership in Chicago for the annual strategy summit."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for mothership

• Nearby Words

motherlike
motherliness
motherly
mothership
mothlike
mothproof
motif

Word Origin & Etymology

First recorded in the late 19th century among whaling fleets to describe a large vessel that supplied and processed catches for smaller boats, and later popularized in mid-20th-century aviation and science fiction.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Mothership. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/mothership
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