mother-in-law
mother-in-law は英検準1級レベルの英単語で、「義母」という意味があります。発音記号は /ˈmʌðərɪnˌlɔː/ です。
義母
解説 Definition
配偶者の母親。義理の母。
A mother-in-law is the mother of your husband or wife. It is a family relationship word used after marriage. People sometimes also use it in a broader way for similar family situations.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
まず core は mother。そこに in-law が付くと、意味は『法律』そのものより『結婚によってできた親族関係』というタグに変わると覚えると整理しやすいです。つまり blood family の mother ではなく、marriage family 側の mother。father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law も同じ型なので、1語ずつ別暗記せず family 語＋in-law のセットで覚えるのが効率的。会話では my mother-in-law が頻出で、my mother と取り違えないのがポイントです。
Start from the simple word `mother`, then add the family label `in-law`. That label means the relationship comes through marriage, not by blood. It becomes easier to remember if you learn the whole pattern together: `mother-in-law`, `father-in-law`, `sister-in-law`.
例文
My mother-in-law came to stay with us for the holidays.
義母が休暇の時期に私たちの家に泊まりに来た。
She asked her mother-in-law for advice about cooking traditional dishes.
彼女は伝統料理の作り方を義母に尋ねた。
mother-in-law の類義語・関連語
紛らわしい語
mother-in-law の語源・成り立ち Etymology
古英語 mōdor（母）と in-law（法律上の）の複合語。in-lawは中英語で「婚姻によって法的に結ばれた関係」を意味した。関連語: father-in-law, outlaw。結婚という「法（law）の中（in）」で生まれる親族関係を表す。
"Mother-in-law" combines "mother" with "in-law." "In-law" developed in Middle English to mean a relationship created by marriage under the law. So the phrase originally meant a mother who becomes family through a legal marriage tie, not by blood. Related forms include "father-in-law" and "brother-in-law."
同じレベルの英単語をもっと
英検準1級の一覧へ →外部辞書で調べる
この単語を英単語クイズで覚えよう