parent
    n 1: a father or mother; one who begets or one who gives birth
         to or nurtures and raises a child; a relative who plays the
         role of guardian [ant: child, kid]
    2: an organism (plant or animal) from which younger ones are
       obtained
    v 1: bring up; "raise a family"; "bring up children" [syn:
         rear, raise, bring up, nurture, parent]

parent \par"ent\ (p[^a]r"ent or p[=a]r"ent; 277), n. [L. parens,
   -entis; akin to parere to bring forth; cf. Gr. porei^n to
   give, beget: cf. F. parent. Cf. Part.]
   1. One who begets, or brings forth, offspring; a father or a
      mother.
      [1913 Webster]

            Children, obey your parents in the Lord. --Eph. vi.
                                                  1.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. That which produces; cause; source; author; begetter; as,
      idleness is the parent of vice.
      [1913 Webster]

            Regular industry is the parent of sobriety.
                                                  --Channing.
      [1913 Webster]

   Parent cell. (Biol.) See Mother cell, under Mother,
      also Cytula.

   Parent nucleus (Biol.), a nucleus which, in cell division,
      divides, and gives rise to two or more daughter nuclei.
      See Karyokinesis, and Cell division, under Division.
      [1913 Webster]

parent
mother
predecessor

    The ancestor node in a tree that
   points to the current node (one of its child nodes).

   (2005-09-15)