# Mother of all ...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mother-of-all/65806>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 18, 2001, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mother-of-all/65806 "2001-05-18T10:02:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2001, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mother-of-all/65806/1 "2001-05-18T10:02:50Z")

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Is Saddam Hussien the guy who introduced mainstream America to the phrase “Mother of all …” or was this known before. I was only 16 when the war started and can’t recall the phrase before then. Just wondering if he was the guy responsible for it.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2001, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mother-of-all/65806/2 "2001-05-18T11:59:57Z")

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This same question was posted over at [Dave Wilton’s Site](http://pub55.ezboard.com/fwordoriginsorgfrm1.showMessage?topicID=90.topic). Dr. Techie gave a good summarization, mainly using the **OED**. The conclusion drawn was that it certainly popularized the phrase, but no definitive answer as to whether it was the first usage meaning _largest_.

By reading J.E.Lighter, _American Slang_, I have come to the conclusion that it probably was a version of **motherfucker** being used in the sense of _largest, biggest_.

Lighter cites that sense from the 1970’s.

Dr. Techie offered in Wilton’s discussion that the phrase in the US prior to the last 30 years which was used in polite society was _granddaddy of all…_.

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**Author:** ![Beruang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@Beruang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beruang)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2001, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mother-of-all/65806/3 "2001-05-18T13:21:28Z")

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The Word Mavens at Random House

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>
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trace the Arabic origins of the phrase, but do not cite any English-language use before Hussein.

– Beruang