daughter
3 synonyms and 4 antonyms for daughter, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A person's female child.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use daughter
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old English dohtor, an ancient word going all the way back to Proto-Indo-European — related to similar words in German (Tochter), Dutch, and many other Indo-European languages.
Full origin of daughter →Frequently asked questions
What does “daughter” mean?
The word “daughter” means a person's female child. In plain terms, a female child, or by extension something that "descends" from something older.
How do you pronounce “daughter”?
“Daughter” is pronounced DAW-tuh (/ˈdɔ.tɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “daughter” in a sentence?
Here is “daughter” used in a sentence: “Their daughter just started her first year of university.”
What is the opposite of “daughter”?
The opposite of “daughter” — its antonyms — are son, mother, father and parent.
What part of speech is “daughter”?
“Daughter” is a noun.
Where does the word “daughter” come from?
The word “daughter” comes from Old English. From Old English dohtor, an ancient word going all the way back to Proto-Indo-European — related to similar words in German (Tochter), Dutch, and many other Indo-European languages.
Is “daughter” a common word?
“Daughter” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “daughter” have?
“Daughter” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person's female child.
What is the difference between a daughter and a son?
A daughter is a person's female child, while a son is their male child. The two words are identical in every way except gender: both refer to someone's offspring regardless of age. Whether newborn or elderly, a female child remains her parents' daughter throughout life.
What is a daughter-in-law?
A daughter-in-law is the wife of your son. The term describes a relationship created by marriage rather than by birth, so she is not your own child but joins the family through her marriage. The reverse relationship, your daughter's husband, is your son-in-law.
Does 'daughter' only refer to a young girl?
No. A daughter is a female child of any age, defined by the parent-child relationship rather than by youth. A woman in her seventies is still the daughter of her parents. The word marks family lineage, not a stage of life, so it never expires with age.
What is the plural of daughter?
The plural is 'daughters', formed simply by adding an -s. It is used whenever referring to two or more female children, as in 'they have three daughters'. There is no irregular form, so the word follows the standard English pattern for making nouns plural.