natural parent
Child's birth source
A natural parent is a biological parent, as distinguished from an adoptive parent or stepparent.
The term appears in legal contexts and discussions of family structure: The court granted visitation rights to the natural parent.
Natural here means by birth rather than by legal arrangement, though the phrase can sound clinical or dated compared to "biological parent."
- birth motherParent who delivered child
- birth fatherMale who conceived child
- custodyProtective care or control
- adoptionLegal family formation
- open adoptionPlacement preserving birth family contact
bloodline · genetics · paternity · maternity · foster care · lineage · ancestry · DNA · family tree · family history · legal rights · birth certificate · conceived · biological father · biological mother · flesh and blood · kinship · heritage
- parentagepaternity, maternity, fatherhood, motherhood, father
natural parentadoptive parent
One who legally claims another's child
foster parent · adoptive mother · adoptive father · stepparent · stepmother
natural parentstepparent
Spouse's prior child's caregiver
stepmother · stepfather · step-parent · guardian · legal guardian
natural, parent, nature, naturally, naturalness, naturalize, naturalization, naturalized, naturalizing