stepmother

noun

1. A woman who is a subsequent wife or partner of a person's parent, usually following the divorce or separation of their parents, or the death of one's biological mother.
2. A woman who is a subsequent wife or partner of a person's parent, usually following the divorce or separation of their parents, or the death of one's biological mother.
3. Synonym of co-mother (“the non-birth mother of a child in a lesbian couple”).
4. (abbreviation, alt-of, clipping)Clipping of stepmother's blessing.
5. (rare)A viola, especially Viola tricolor, heartsease.

   “The second came up about ten days later in the lee of the channel marker, and it was called stepmother, or love-in-idelness.”