Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of, relating to, or characteristic of a stepmother.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Pertaining to a stepmother; suitable to a stepmother; step-motherly.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Done or recurring every ninth year.
  • adjective Of or pertaining to a stepmother; suitable to, or in the manner of, a stepmother.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Of or pertaining to a stepmother.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin novercālis, from noverca, stepmother; see newo- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Latin novercalis, from noverca a stepmother.

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Examples

Comments

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  • adjective, pertaining to a stepmother. Is there a corresponding adjective for stepfathers?

    January 30, 2007

  • The fairy tales' libelous work'll

    Condemn them to Hell's inner circle.

    The Grimms and the Goose

    Have knotted the noose

    To hang the poor ladies novercal.

    January 27, 2016