mother lode
Definition
Noun: 1. The principal vein or zone of a valuable mineral in a region: The primary and richest source of ore in a mining district. 2. (Figurative) A rich or abundant source of something valuable: A discovery of a large supply of a desired thing.
Usage
The term is used literally in geology and mining to describe the main deposit. Figuratively, it is commonly used to express the discovery of a large, valuable, or principal source of anything desirable.
Examples
- Literal (Mining):
- Prospectors spent years searching for the mother lode of gold in those hills.
- The discovery of the mother lode transformed the small camp into a booming town.
- Figurative:
- The researcher's new book is a mother lode of information on medieval history.
- Cleaning out the attic, we found a mother lode of vintage comic books.
Advanced Usage
- "To hit/strike the mother lode": This idiom means to find the main source of wealth or success, either literally or figuratively.
- With that innovative software, the startup really struck the mother lode.
Variants and Related Words
- Lode (noun): A vein of metal ore in the earth.
- Bonanza (noun): A situation which creates a sudden increase in wealth, or a large vein of ore. Often used synonymously with "mother lode" in its figurative sense.
Synonyms
- Main vein
- Principal deposit
- (Figurative) Treasure trove, goldmine, bonanza
Antonyms
- Trace
- Scattering
- (Figurative) Dearth, scarcity
Related Idioms
- Hit/strike the mother lode: To find the primary source of something very valuable.
- The archaeologist knew she had hit the mother lode when she uncovered the ancient temple.
Noun
-
the main vein of ore in a deposit
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