# mother tongue

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmʌð.ə ˌtʌŋ/

## Definitions
1. The language one first learned; the language one grew up with; one's native language.
2. The language spoken by one’s ancestors.
3. The language spoken by one's mother, when it differs from that spoken by one's father.
4. Informal speech, as opposed to educated language.

## Etymology
From Middle English mother tonge, modyr tong, equivalent to mother + tongue. Compare Old Norse móðurtunga (“mother tongue”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/mother-tongue