parent-in-law
Partner's mother, perhaps
A parent-in-law is the mother or father of one's spouse.
The term serves as a gender-neutral alternative to the more specific mother-in-law or father-in-law, and appears most often in the plural: My parents-in-law are visiting for the holidays.
The relationship is established through marriage rather than blood, and the hyphenated compound reflects this indirect kinship.
Relatives beyond parents, siblings
- in-lawsRelatives through marriage
- relativeConnected by blood
- kinBlood-connected people
- family gatheringsRelatives meeting socially
spouse's family · holiday visits · grandchildren · blended family
Marriage rite and feast
- matrimonyLegal union of spouses
- spouseMarried partner
- nuptialsVows and rings
- brideWoman getting married
groom · engagement · ceremony · vows · union · betrothal · wedlock · newlywed
Natural liking or attraction
- lineageDescent from progenitors
- heritageInherited cultural legacy
- ancestryFamily line of descent
- clanRelated group sharing ancestry
genealogy · kindred · bloodline · descent · family tree · relation · connection · ties
Marital property transfer
- bride-pricePayment for marriage rights
- matchmakingArranging romantic connections
- arranged marriageFamily-selected spousal pairing
- filial pietyRespect owed to parents
Forming close connections
- respectRegard with honor
- boundariesLines marking separation
- acceptanceConsent to receive
- adjustmentAlteration to improve fit
communication · expectations · approval · tension · conflict · support · understanding · closeness
extended family
Relatives beyond parents, siblings
spouse's family · family gatherings · holiday visits · grandchildren · blended family
wedding
Marriage rite and feast
bride · groom · engagement · ceremony · vows · union · betrothal · wedlock · newlywed · anniversary
affinity
Natural liking or attraction
clan · genealogy · kindred · bloodline · descent · family tree · relation · connection · ties
dowry
Marital property transfer
- bride-pricePayment for marriage rights
- matchmakingArranging romantic connections
- arranged marriageFamily-selected spousal pairing
bonding
Forming close connections
- respectRegard with honor
- boundariesLines marking separation
- acceptanceConsent to receive
adjustment · communication · expectations · approval · tension · conflict · support · understanding · closeness · distance
parent-in-lawbiological parent
One who conceived offspring
birth parent · natural parent · blood relative · biological mother · biological father
parent, parenting, parental, grandparent, parentage, parenthood, grandparents, in-law, father-in-law