1.
adoptive mother; foster mother
A woman who has adopted a child through legal adoption, or a woman who raises a child that is not biologically hers. A formal term used in legal and family contexts.
養母に育てられた。
I was raised by my adoptive mother.
養母と実母の両方に感謝している。
I am grateful to both my adoptive mother and my biological mother.
彼女は幼い頃に養母のもとに引き取られ、大切に育てられた。
She was taken in by her adoptive mother when she was young and was raised with great care.
The formal term for an adoptive or foster mother. Part of a family of legal/formal kinship terms distinguishing biological from adoptive relationships.
RELATED FAMILY TERMS:
- 養父: adoptive father
- 養親: adoptive parent(s)
- 養子: adopted child
- 実母: biological mother
- 実父: biological father
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 養母に育てられる: to be raised by an adoptive mother
- 養母のもとで: under the care of one's adoptive mother
USAGE:
A formal, written-style word most often seen in legal documents, official records, and narrative contexts (novels, biographical accounts). In everyday speech, people more commonly use 育ての親 (the parent who raised me) or simply explain the relationship.
ETYMOLOGY:
養 (foster, raise, nurture) + 母 (mother).