Meaning of parent

par•ent

1. a father or a mother.
2. an ancestor, precursor, or progenitor.
3. a source, origin, or cause.
4. a protector or guardian.
5. any organism that produces or generates another.
6. the first nuclide in a radioactive series.

1. being the original source: a parent organization.
2. pertaining to an organism, cell, or complex molecular structure that generates or produces another: parent cell; parent DNA.

1. to be or act as parent of: to parent children with both love and discipline.