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Glite Dictionary
mother's boy

mother's boy

1 7.5
A man or boy who depends too much on his mother and cannot make decisions alone
  • noun
  • /ˈmʌðərz bɔɪ/
  • Offensive
translation icon : hijo de mamá
  • Some people think being a mother's boy means you can't be independent, but he values his mother's opinions.

Examples

  • You are a spoilt mother's boy.

    The Water Diviner (2014)

  • John is such a mother's boy that he still asks her for advice on every decision.

  • Matthew's his mother's boy; he approves of her every action and would do anything for her.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Patting my hand reassuringly, she said, "He's his mother's boy too, you know."

    Fiction book (1992)

  • As a mother's boy, Tim always prioritizes spending time with his mom over hanging out with friends.

Synonyms

mama's boy
vsmother's boy
  • Offensive
21 7.2

A person who depends too much on their mother and does not make their own decisions

shares meaning but is a common informal variation
mamma's boy
vsmother's boy
  • Offensive
1 8.1

A person who depends too much on their mother and cannot make their own decisions

has the same meaning but is the more neutral form

Surface Forms

mother's boy singular
mother's boys plural

Morphology

mother's + boy

The basic referential meaning — a boy associated with his mother — is directly derivable from 'mother's' + 'boy', so learners will grasp a familial relationship. However, the evaluative/pejorative nuance of excessive attachment and lack of independence is pragmatic and somewhat idiomatic, not strictly predictable from the parts; therefore it is only partially transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Mother's boy may come from the simple picture of a mother and boy who never part: the boy stays close to home and always with his mother. That's why the phrase means someone who is 'too dependent' on their mother and can struggle to make their own decisions.