stepmum
stepmum — noun
- stepmumsingular
- stepmumsplural
1. a woman who is married to your father or lives with him as his long-term partner
a woman who is married to your father or lives with him as his long-term partner, and whose role in your family is like that of a mother, even though she is not the woman who gave birth to you
After Liam's father moved to Glasgow, his stepmum Amara made sure the new flat felt like home for everyone.
possessive: his stepmum + [name] for family relationship
Zara's stepmum Samira drives her to swimming club every Saturday without fail.
Arjun bought his stepmum Deepa a card that said 'Thanks for being there for me, Mum.'
When Ethan's biological mother moved abroad, his stepmum Chloe became the main person he turned to for advice.
- stepmother
the neutral, formal equivalent; used in writing and official contexts where 'stepmum' would feel too casual
- foster mother
a woman who looks after a child through a formal fostering arrangement, not through marriage to the father — different legal relationship
- mother figure
broader term for any older woman who acts as a mother to you, not necessarily through family ties
用法筆記
Only used in spoken and casual written contexts; legal documents and official forms require the more formal 'stepmother'. Also distinct from 'stepmom', which is the American spelling.