moth-er

See also: mother and Mother

English

Etymology

Coined from moth by analogy to mouser.

Pronunciation
  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈmɒðə/, /ˈmɒθə/
  • (US): IPA(key): /ˈmɔðɚ/, /ˈmɔθɚ/
  • Rhymes: -ɒðə(r), -ɒθə(ɹ)

The th component is voiced /ð/ or voiceless /θ/ predictably depending on whether the pronunciation of mouser has voiced /z/ or voiceless /s/.

Noun

moth-er (plural moth-ers)

  1. A person or animal that catches moths.
    • 1997 May, Backpacker, volume 25, number 4, page 30:
      Modern moth-ers use black lights, mercury vapor lamps, and portable generators to saturate the night sky[.]
    • 1997, Joshua M. Epstein, Nonlinear Dynamics, Mathematical Biology, and Social Science:
      Many species of bats are skilled ‘moth-ers’: they pursue them at speed after detecting them[.]
    • 2015, Tessa Wardley, The Countryside Book: 101 Ways To Play, Watch Wildlife, ...:
      Real moth-ers, mothies or lepidopterists, will use a mercury vapour bulb and even a special trap[.]

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