motherhouse

  1. Noun.  The monastery from which the other 'houses' of a religious order or congregation were (directly or indirectly) founded, often eponymous.
  2. Noun.  The convent which is the seat (and often the above original foundation) of the superior of an order or congregation, and/or on which lower ranking houses (such as priories under an abbot) depend.

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This entry was last updated on RefTopia from its source on 3/20/2012.