Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

father-in-law

/ˈfɑːðəɹɪnˌlɔː/

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: 5.05 in modern English

Syllables
fa-ther-in-law
IPA
/ˈfɑːðəɹɪnˌlɔː/
20
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
4
Syllables
10
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

One's spouse's father.

noun

A stepfather.

Obsolete

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English fader in lawe, fadyr-in-lay, fader yn lawe, equivalent to father + -in-law.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Usage

Subject

Wiktionary places this term in Law.

Inflected Forms

fathers-in-law (plural) father-in-laws (colloquial, nonstandard) father in law (alternative)

Phrases

co-father-in-law stepfather-in-law brother-in-law daughter-in-law mother-in-law sister-in-law son-in-law

Frequently Paired Words

brother-in-law daughter-in-law mother-in-law sister-in-law son-in-law

Questions

How do you pronounce father-in-law?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈfɑːðəɹɪnˌlɔː/.
What does father-in-law mean?
One's spouse's father.
Where does father-in-law come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce father-in-law

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “father-in-law”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈfɑːðəɹɪnˌlɔː/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “father-in-law”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “father-in-law” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.