mother superior

noun

A nun in charge of a priory or convent; either a prioress or an abbess.

Meanings

mother superior1

nounmother superior (plural mothers superior or mother superiors)

plural mothers superior · plural mother superiors

  1. A nun in charge of a priory or convent; either a prioress or an abbess.

Mother Superior2

nounMother Superior (plural Mothers Superior or Mother Superiors)

plural Mothers Superior · plural Mother Superiors

  1. The head of a convent; an abbess.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe superior of a group of nuns

Broader
superiorwomanadult female

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Finnish nunnaluostarin johtaja, abbedissa
  • nunnaluostarin johtajanun in charge of a convent
  • abbedissanun in charge of a convent
  • igumenianun in charge of a convent
French mère supérieure
  • mère supérieurenun in charge of a convent
German Mutter Oberin
  • Mutter Oberinnun in charge of a convent
Greek ηγουμένη
  • ηγουμένη (igouméni)nun in charge of a convent
Hungarian apácafőnöknő
  • apácafőnöknőnun in charge of a convent
Irish máthairab
  • máthairabnun in charge of a convent
Polish matka przełożona
  • matka przełożonanun in charge of a convent
Portuguese madre superiora
  • madre superioranun in charge of a convent
Russian настоя́тельница, мать-настоя́тельница
  • настоя́тельница (nastojátelʹnica)nun in charge of a convent
  • мать-настоя́тельница (matʹ-nastojátelʹnica)nun in charge of a convent
  • игу́менья (igúmenʹja)nun in charge of a convent
Cite this entry
APA

mother superior. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mother%20superior

MLA

“mother superior.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mother%20superior. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mother superior,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mother%20superior.

Source: mother superior on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.