French word

belle-mère

Pronunciation

IPA/bɛlmɛʁ/

Meaning

  • feminine nounmother-in-law

Example

Ma belle-mère habite près de chez nous.

My mother-in-law lives near us.

Illustration for belle-mère (mother-in-law)

More examples

J'ai invité ma belle-mère à dîner ce soir.

I invited my mother-in-law to dinner tonight.

Core concept

A mother-shaped family link created by marriage rather than by birth.

Common phrases

  • parler à sa belle-mère

    talk to one's mother-in-law

  • inviter sa belle-mère à dîner

    invite one's mother-in-law to dinner

  • bien connaître sa belle-mère

    know one's mother-in-law well

Similar words

belle-maman: A familiar and affectionate term for one's mother-in-law.
mère: A female parent who gave birth to or raised a child.
belle-famille: The family or relatives of one's spouse by marriage.
beau-père: The father of one's spouse, related through marriage.

Definition in French

Terme familial désignant soit la mère du conjoint, soit la femme mariée au parent d'une personne.

Word origin

Belle-mère combines mère, from Latin mater through Old French, with belle, the feminine form of beau, a traditional modifier for an in-law or step relation.

Usage tips

  • Belle-mère can mean either mother-in-law or stepmother, so context may require mère de mon conjoint or seconde épouse de mon père.

Other meanings

  • stepmothernoun

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