Beautiful Words For Your Mom: Mother's Day Vocabulary

Tori Tornreviewed byKateryna Protsenko / more about Editorial Process11 min
Created: May 9, 2023Last updated: Feb 1, 2024
Mother's Day Vocabulary

Leonardo DiCaprio once said: "My mother is a walking miracle." And, honestly, almost every kid, despite their age, can describe their moms in such a way. Mothers give us life, teach us everything we need to know, and keep guiding us through life even after we leave their houses. We have always been their babies who need to be taken care of despite the fact we are grownups. And that is already enough reason to cherish those brave women every single day, especially on Mother's Day. 

We at Promova love to bring joy and fun into the lives of English learners. That is why we always cover topics related to celebrations and memorable dates. That is why we couldn't miss the chance to write a piece about Mother's Day words for English learners. Read this and surprise your mom with beautiful words for mother in English.  

Mark The Date: When Is Mother's Day

Different countries celebrate Mother's Day on different days. However, most of the world, including Australia and the US, marks this special holiday in May. The exact celebration date of International Mother's Day changes year-to-year. People celebrate it on the second Sunday in May. That is why you can google many articles online once May arrives. And depending on the year, you will see different dates. For example, in 2023, Mother's Day is celebrated on May 14th. 

Historically speaking, the USA Mother's Day is relevantly a modern holiday. However, the credit for its creation belongs to Anna Jarvis, an American activist of the last century. She wanted to honor the work of her mom, who hosted clubs for new mothers where she taught them properly care for their children in the 1850s. Such events aimed to lower the infant mortality rate. And after Anna's mother died, Anna decided to cherish her mom's legacy. So, on May 10th, 1908, Anna threw the first Mother's Day. It was held in her hometown of Grafton, West Virginia. Mother's Day became a national holiday in the USA in 1914. Initially, President Woodrow Wilson called on Americans to show the flag to soldiers' mothers whose sons had died in the war. But the holiday became commercialized later, which Anna didn't like at all.

Nonetheless, the traditions of presenting flowers, gifts, and cards remain strong. Children of all ages love to celebrate their moms for everything they did for them. So don't forget about happy Mother's Day words to tell your mom on May 14th. 

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Mother's Day Vocabulary: Beautiful Words for Mother in English

Mother's Day is that one special day when millions of people around the world buy presents, flowers, and cute cards for their moms on the same day. And when the feelings overwhelm you, finding the right words to express how deeply you appreciate your mom and everything she has done for you might be challenging. Knowing that from our own experience, we've decided to create a list of Mother's Day words that might be handy when signing a card. 

Mother

Creating Mother's Day vocabulary, we couldn't help but look up the definition of the most important word of this holiday. According to Cambridge Dictionary, the noun "mother" means "a female parent." It might seem like nothing too fancy. However, when you read the definition for the same word but as a verb, you see the following "to treat someone with kindness and affection and try to protect that person from danger or difficulty." And we would say that is the most accurate description of what good mothers do for their kids. 

Example: The mother is one of the most important people in a child's life. 

Helicopter Parenting

You could've heard this term in American movies in the context where teenagers were complaining about their overprotective and intrusive parents. This phrase means a specific parenting style when mom or dad or both of them limit a child's independence by paying extremely close attention to their life. The term originated because parents behave like helicopters - they "hover overhead," constantly overseeing every aspect of their child's life. Sometimes this term can be seen as positive if used as a joke. 

Example: I love my mom a lot, even though she used to helicopter parenting me way longer than she was supposed to. 

Protect

This verb can seem very easy for English learners regarding language learning. It means to shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage. However, when it comes to motherhood, it becomes one of the most important words that can describe mothers. Moms do whatever it takes to protect their children from everything that can go wrong in their life. You will never find more selfless and altruistic bodyguards in the whole world.

Example: Protect your mom at all costs, she does that for you every single day. 

Advocate

This verb is a mighty one because it has a strong meaning. "To advocate" means speaking or acting in someone's favor, representing and protecting their interests, opinions, and beliefs. If you think about it for a moment, you'll realize that moms always advocate for their children, even if they do not agree on something. 

Example: A good mom will always advocate for her child's interests at school. 

Hold dear

If you want to say that you value your mom highly or care about her greatly but struggle to find the most accurate term, we recommend using "hold dear." This phrase will help you express the right feelings towards your mom when you toast or sign a card for Mother's Day. 

Example: I couldn't believe that our mom saved everything we held dear as kids. 

Foster

The culture of adoption and fostering is still evolving in some countries. However, in the USA, taking care of a baby or child who is not biologically yours is usual. When people adopt children, they legally become parents – mother, and father. But when it comes to fostering, it's different. To foster means temporarily caring for a kid whose parents can't do it due to certain life circumstances. In that case, once the crisis ends, the kid is supposed to return home to their legal guardians. Nonetheless, in some cases fostering can result in adoption. 

Example: When our children went to college, and we had so much free time, we decided to foster kids in need. 

Console

Consoling is another important thing that mothers have to do. If something even slightly unpleasant or wrong happens in your life, mom will always have your back. She is there to console you whatever happens. You can fail an important test – your mom will console you. You broke up with your crush – your mom will console you. You lost your phone – your mom will console you (maybe after a bit of yelling). 

Example: My mom used to console me after a long day at school. 

Happy Mother's Day: Words of Love and Gratitude 

If you are struggling to find the right words to wish happy Mother's Day to your mom, we suggest you read some celebrity holiday posts from previous years. You can find inspiration in how famous and popular people publicly express their feelings on Mother's Day.

Courteney Cox's post: "Here we are, my mom, Coco, and me wrapped together in our generational trifecta. I am so grateful to be my daughter's mother and my mother's daughter. This is just one of the many beautiful memories I will always treasure. Whether I'm right next to you in the ocean or oceans apart, I love you always Moma. Wishing you a very happy Mother's Day! " 

David Beckham's post for Victoria Beckham: "17 years ago our brood started and these little ones have the most amazing mummy that they love so much ... And I love her for many reasons but the main one is because she gave me the most amazing children ... Happy mama's day as the little ones would say ❤️❤️"

Justin Timberlake's post: "Throwback to December at the Grizz game with my Mom and her Mom!! #HappyMothersDay to ALL of the Mommies out there!! You DA REAL MVPs EVERY DAY!!"

Kim Kardashian's post: "Everything I am I owe it all to you mom! Everything I will teach my daughter you taught me first! Thank you mom for being there for me & loving me unconditionally! I love you so much!!"

Michelle Obama's post: "Thanks for inspiring me to #ReachHigher mom! Wishing you and all the wonderful moms out there a #HappyMothersDay. -mo"

Gigi Hadid's post: "Best I could ever ask for. ❤️ Happy Mother's Day to the one I'll do my best to emulate. I love you beyond words @yolanda.hadid you are a superhero!!!!!"

Ashley Graham's post: "Getting ready to celebrate my first mother's day! Yes you better believe there will be a celebration in our house... and I hope all of you mamas are celebrating yourselves too! We might be in our sweats all day but we still kinda fancy 💎🌸🌈🥂☀️🎉 Feeling even more grateful for my own mama this year and excited to partner with @tiffanyandco who is giving back and supporting families and mother's in need this year through @baby2baby 💖"

Reese Witherspoon's post: "HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!🌸The best part of my day is when I talk to my mom. Her wisdom, her smile, her gracious laughing at my dumb jokes.😹Everyday is better when I see her face. I can't wait to hug her again! It's one thing I miss the most. For those of you who can, hug your mom today! 🌸🌼🌺"

Discover Mother's Day Vocabulary

How to Learn Mother's Day Words With Promova

We don't want to seem stereotypical, but moms are among the first to teach their kids how to talk. Words from the mother are fundamental because they help to build every baby's speaking skills. That is why it is so important for moms who want to raise their children bilingual to have a high proficiency level. And language learning platform Promova can help you with that. 

Promova is a one-stop language learning solution with a personalized approach that helps every language learner achieve their goals with fun and ease. You no longer need to choose how to learn a language because Promova unites different tools in one place. You can start your learning journey from the Promova app, which has been downloaded over 10 million times so far. English learners appreciate it, especially because of the course English through English, where they receive explanations of words, collocations, grammar, etc., in English. It helps them fully immerse themselves into the language and start thinking in English immediately. Also, Promova has several guided English courses on the web, depending on the learning purpose – general English, Business English, Travel English, and English with TV series. In our app, you will be able to learn all the essential vocabulary that you might need. We teach all proficiency levels – from Beginner to Advanced. So learning words related to mother and family won't be a problem. 

Next, you can move to learning English with certified native-level tutors with several years of teaching experience. Promova offers individual and group tutoring classes for all levels and different specializations, such as American English, English writing, conversational English, and many more. You can choose the duration of your lesson – 25, 50, or 90 minutes. But the best part is receiving a personalized learning plan based on your goals, interests, strengths, and weaknesses. You only need to pass a quick test to determine your proficiency level. It will help to create the most accurate plan to help you rock the English-speaking world. 

Another great thing is that we guarantee you a first trial lesson for free during the next seven days after signing up. Your teacher can prepare you for any life situation you may tackle with. Even if you are looking for the right Mother's Day words to write on a card for your mom, they are here for you. 

For those who want to practice speaking English, we suggest joking our free Conversation Club for learners with a B1 level or higher. Every Saturday, one of our teachers gathers a small group of English learners from around the world to discuss a hot topic. Our certified professionals ensure you have enough time to express yourself and will help you grow your fluency. 

As a cherry on top, we have an amazing Instagram and blog where you can learn languages more casually. Scrolling your Instagram feed or watching stories? We are there! Looking for Mother's Day vocabulary? Here we are!

Conclusion

Finding the right words in English might be challenging, especially when you are overwhelmed by feelings. This article aimed to help you find happy Mother's Day words to show your mom how much you love and appreciate her. Now, you have enough advanced verbs in your Mother's Day vocabulary, so composing some beautiful words for your mother in English won't be much of an issue. So enjoy the precious time with your mom and tell her those words more often. 

FAQ

Why is the UK's Mother's Day different?

It shouldn't surprise you that some countries don't follow international holidays and dates. Instead, they celebrate their own holidays that are similar to what the rest of the world used to. Mother's Day in the UK is not an exception here. Technically speaking, it's not even called Mother's Day there. English people know this holiday as Mothering Saturday. And the date for the celebration changes every year. But why is it so different from what the US or the rest of Europe celebrate? Mothering Saturday started as a holiday for servants in the Middle Ages. Three weeks before Easter Sunday, people who worked in domestic service had a day off to visit their parent's home or "mother" – a church. They hadn't had such an option during the year, on average. So, people in the UK really cherished the time they could spend with their families. Since children could see their mothers in spring, they would bring them flowers. The tradition of presenting gifts on that day still remains strong. 

Do new moms need to learn some specialized English?

Yes and no. We know you don't like such an answer, but it is correct. The thing is that as an English learner, you know a lot of words on different topics, depending on your proficiency level. However, motherhood isn't a common topic to discuss during the group or individual lessons unless another was requested. Talking to a baby isn't much different from communicating with adults in English. Nonetheless, you might need to learn some motherhood vocabulary you haven't used before. Examples include pacifiers, bibs, breast pumps, formula, etc. 

What are the words to describe my mom?

When people make speeches, toasts, or sign cards for their mothers, they use different delightful adjectives to describe their moms. Most children will agree that the list of words to express how they see their moms are endless. However, you should keep at least several of them in mind because English is so rich that you can get lost. So, the list of adjectives to describe your mom includes but isn't limited to accepting, amazing, beautiful, beloved, best, brave, caring, confident, cool, courageous, crafty, dedicated, elegant, friendly, fun, hardworking, helpful, loving, protective, reliable, sensitive, strong, trustworthy, warm, etc.

What are some other words for mum in English?

For many kids, "mom" is their first word. However, they can say it in different interpretations. The most common in English are mum, mom, mamma, mammy, mama, momma, and ma. When people grow up and need to speak officially, they can call their mammy mother. Nonetheless, it's not a rule by any matter. Even King Charles III called his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, "mummy" when making official public speeches. Everyone loved it and had a good laugh every time. 

Comments

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Victoria EvansAug 15th, 2023
I'm moved by the way this article captures the emotions associated with motherhood. A heartfelt thank you to the author!