Cambridge Dictionaries online Cambridge Dictionaries online

The most popular online dictionary and thesaurus for learners of English

  

mother tongue

 
 
noun [C]

Definition

the first language that you learn when you are a child
(Definition of mother tongue noun from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

“mother tongue” in other dictionaries

Word of the Day

be under a cloud

to not be trusted or popular because people think you have done something bad

Word of the Day

Blog

Read our blog about how the English language behaves.

Learn More

New Words

Find words and meanings that have just started to be used in English, and let us know what you think of them.

Learn More