Mothership

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A large spacecraft that serves as a parent or carrier for smaller vehicles or units
2. An original and controlling entity that supports and manages subordinate factions or groups
3. A central hub that provides guidance and resources to smaller associated structures or operations

Etymology: The word is a plain compound: "mother" joined to "ship," with the sense of a large vessel that the smaller craft depend on. The "mother" half descends from a root that has been traced back to Proto-Indo-European, while "ship" comes down through Old English "scip" and Middle English "schip." Its main claim to fame is its later life in science fiction and popular culture, where the sense of a central vessel with smaller craft attached became a staple of space stories. Using a parent-and-offspring image for a vehicle is a familiar pattern in English, since many machines and organisations are described as having "mothers" that launch or house smaller units. Nothing in the record here indicates a single coiner or a famous first use for this particular compound, so the word is best understood as a transparent combination of two ordinary English elements.

Synonyms: main ship, carrier