From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishmother countryˈmother ˌcountry noun [countable usually singular] 1 SANsomeone’s mother country is the country where they or their family were born and to which they feel a very strong emotional connection, even if they are no longer living there SYN motherland2 a powerful country that controls or used to control a less powerful country The bond between the mother country and her former colonies grew stronger.