mother

noun:a female parent of a child or animal
- My mother taught me how to read.
noun:the head of a female religious community, such as an abbess
- The mother superior led the convent with great wisdom.
noun:the source or origin of something, especially a problem, event, or phenomenon
- The earthquake was the mother of the devastating tsunami that followed.
verb:to give birth to
- The cat mothered a litter of five kittens.
verb:to behave in a nurturing, protective, or overly controlling manner toward someone
- She tends to mother her younger brother, making sure he never makes a mistake.