par·ent / ˈpe(ə)rənt; ˈpar-/ • n. a father or mother: the parents of the bride his adoptive parents. ∎ archaic a forefather or ancestor. ∎  an animal or plant from which younger ones are derived. ∎  a source or origin of a smaller or less important part. ∎  [often as adj.] an organization or company that owns or controls a number of subsidiary organizations or companies: policy considerations were determined largely by the parent institution.• v. [tr.] [often as n.] (parenting) be or act as a mother or father to (someone): the warmth and attention that are the hallmarks of good parenting.DERIVATIVES: pa·ren·tal / pəˈrentl/ adj.pa·ren·tal·ly / pəˈrentl-ē/ adv.par·ent·hood / -ˌhoŏd/ n.

parent
1. Either male or female partner that together produce offspring in the process of sexual reproduction. See also P.

2. Denoting an organism or cell that gives rise to new organisms or cells, as by asexual reproduction or cell division.

parent father or mother; †relative. XV. — (O)F. parent (in both senses) :— L. parēns, parent- father or mother, pl. parentēs parents, progenitors, kinsfolk, (prop.) procreators, orig. prp. of parere bring forth; see -ENT.
So parentage XV. — (O)F. parental XVII. — L.

parent See RADIOACTIVE DECAY; and RADIOMETRIC DATING.

parent A node A is the parent of node B in a tree if B is the root of one of the subtrees of the tree rooted at A.