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Meaning & use

natural parents

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌnætʃrəl ˈpeərənts/
US/ˌnætʃrəl ˈperənts/

Meanings

  1. nounplural

    the man and woman who gave a child their genes, especially when someone else is raising that child.

    Grammar: Used as a plural noun; it refers to the pair together, so it takes a plural verb: Her natural parents live abroad.

    Patterns

    • someone's natural parents
    • the child's natural parents
    • meet your natural parents

    The adopted girl decided to look for her natural parents when she turned eighteen.

    Both of his natural parents were musicians, though he was raised by his aunt.

    The form asks for the names of the child's natural parents.

  2. nounplural

    the two people a person is related to by blood rather than by marriage or adoption.

    Grammar: Also plural; here it simply contrasts blood relatives with relatives gained through marriage or adoption.

    Patterns

    • your natural parents
    • a relative by blood

    She grew up knowing her natural parents but was close to her stepfather too.

    In the will, he left most of his money to his natural parents.

Common combinations

find your natural parents
Many adopted adults try to find their natural parents later in life.
trace your natural parents
With the old records, she was able to trace her natural parents.
the child's natural parents
The court asked the child's natural parents to attend the hearing.
be raised by someone other than your natural parents
He was raised by his grandparents rather than his natural parents.
the rights of natural parents
The new law protects the rights of natural parents in adoption cases.

Synonyms and how they differ

birth parents
The most common everyday term; it stresses the act of giving birth and is slightly warmer than "natural parents."
biological parents
Emphasizes genetics rather than care; it is common in medical and scientific writing.
biological mother and father
A longer, more explicit way to name each parent separately when the sex matters.

Opposites

adoptive parentsstep-parents

Word family

natural adjective
Relating to nature or to what someone is born with.
parent noun
A mother or father; the singular form of this phrase.
parental adjective
Connected with being a parent, as in parental rights.
parenthood noun
The state of being a parent.

Commonly confused: natural parents or adoptive parents? natural parents or godparents?

natural parents vs adoptive parents

These are the people who legally raise a child, not the ones who gave the child their genes; the two phrases are often mixed up.

natural parents vs godparents

Godparents have a religious or ceremonial role and are not related by blood.

Practice

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