Madri

Madri is the plural form of the Italian noun madre, meaning mothers. It is used to refer to more than one mother, whether in everyday speech, writing, or formal discourse. The singular is madre; the plural madri requires feminine agreement with determiners and adjectives, as in le madri or due madri.

Etymology and form: madri derives from the Italian word madre, which comes from the Latin mater. In Italian, many feminine nouns ending in -e form a plural in -i, so madre becomes madri when referring to multiple individuals who are mothers. The pronunciation places emphasis on the first syllable: MAD-ri.

Usage and context: The term is common in discussions of family, kinship, and social roles. It can denote motherhood as a biological or social category and is frequently found in journalism, literature, and academic writing. Phrases commonly associated with madri include madri lavoratrici (working mothers), madri single (single mothers), and madri e figli (mothers and children). The word is neutral and descriptive, with no inherent value judgment.

See also: Madre, maternità, matriarch. In related linguistic fields, the root mater appears in many Romance languages with cognate forms reflecting the same family of words for mother and motherhood.

Note: If “Madri” is intended as a proper noun (such as a place or organization in a specific language), please provide additional context for a targeted entry.