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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

overparent en · NOUN

Etymology

From over- + parent.

Meanings

  1. A person or entity in a position of greater authority than a parent who takes on some aspect of the parental role or authority.
    • If Father is the typical male underparent, as he generally is, it is not that he is a failure, except by overparent standards. 1978, William Reynolds, The American father, page 210:
    • Is it conceivable that American mothers and fathers will tamely submit to turning over their sons and daughters to Miss Grace Abbott as an over-parent? 2015, Edith Abbott, John Sorensen, A Sister's Memories:
    • In order to cushion the blow of this disillusionment they ascribe the power and perfection they once believed a parent had to an overparent, a divine being. 1987, Thomas J. Burke, Man and Mind: A Christian Theory of Personality, page 52:
    • Slum children will be provided the assurance of this " overparent " as a guarantee against the underfed, vermin-infested children found in the London schools inspected at the outset of the century. 1956, Journal of the History of Ideas - Volume 17, page 222:
  2. The role of the state in caring for and nurturing its citizens.
    • The principle as to adult criminals, though new in application is not new as a principle. It is a power of the State technically known as parens patriae—the overparent as it were— dealing considerately and helpfully with certain of its citizens as its wards to be cared for, aided, assisted, helped, etc. 1909, Proceedings of the Annual Congress of Correction, page 84:
    • To quote directly, not from his article in THE INDEPENDENT but from one published in the New York Herald on November 4th: “Socialism says boldly the State is the overparent, the outer-parent. 1907, The Independent - Volume 62, page 76:
    • “Only the law of self-preservation will force the state, against the opposition of the mere makers of money, to become the overparent of all its people." writes Judge Ben B. Lindsey in the Newer Justice for January. 1912, The Progressive Woman 2:
    • Like Dewey's "renascent liberalism," in 1911 L. T. Hobhouse's "constructive liberalism" prescribed that the state be an "overparent": 1995, Telos, page 35:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
overparents Number=Plur lexicographic

overparent en · VERB

Etymology

From over- + parent.

Meanings

  1. To provide an excessive amount of parental attention and protection to one's children.
    • When you overparent, you weaken your child's self-image, suffocating her so that your child comes to believe, I guess I don't have what it takes to get by without Dad's and Mom's help. 2011, Kevin Leman, It's Your Kid, Not a Gerbil, page 36:
    • Both restrictive and indulgent parents can either underparent or overparent. 2016, Shakta Khalsa, The Yoga Way to Radiance:
    • I think we have a tendency today to overparent, micromanage, and underappreciate our adolescents. 2011, John Duffy, The Available Parent:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
overparented Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
overparented Tense=Past lexicographic
overparents Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
overparenting Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic