motherly

[ muhth-er-lee ]

adjective

1. pertaining to, characteristic of, or befitting a mother; maternal:

   motherly solicitude.

2. like a mother:

   to take a motherly interest in an orphan.

adverb

1. in the manner of a mother.

motherly

/ ˈmʌðəlɪ /

adjective

1. of or resembling a mother, esp in warmth, or protectiveness

Derived Forms

• ˈmotherliness, noun

Other Words From

• mother·li·ness noun
• un·mother·ly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of motherly¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English moderly, Old English mōdorlīc. See mother ¹, -ly

Example Sentences

It’s funny, most of the people in my life wouldn’t say I’m exactly the motherly type.

From Outside Online

Morsell’s mom said she has that “motherly instinct” to be there for all the players.

From Washington Post

“You know what a Mitchum movie is,” he says, as a woman reporter from Newsweek breaks into that sexual motherly smile.

From The Daily Beast

Inevitably, poor Kate is getting binders full of advice and motherly reminiscence.

From The Daily Beast

“Diana did love him in a motherly way,” said a friend of the singer.

From The Daily Beast

She has a real motherly concern for them, but thinks they [have] too much control.

From The Daily Beast

Arline Kercher has an easy smile and an inherent motherly demeanor.

From The Daily Beast

The motherly woman received the babe instinctively and cast aside the travelling-rug in which he was enveloped.

From Project Gutenberg

What can be prettier than a brood of chickens with a good motherly hen, like the one in this picture!

From Project Gutenberg

Mrs. Plornish seemed to have had her motherly instincts pretty well quenched by time and poverty.

From Project Gutenberg

Thou art the help of Christians; lighten our tribulations, and help us with motherly intercession at the throne of thy divine Son.

From Project Gutenberg

He was treated with motherly kindness and tenderness, yet firmly checked when he went wrong.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Motherly

What does motherly mean?

Motherly is an adjective that most commonly means like a mother. It’s especially used in a positive way to describe someone as being kind, nurturing, and protective—like a good mother who loves and cares for her child(ren).

Describing someone as motherly often implies that they listen and give good advice—it’s perhaps most commonly used in the phrase motherly advice.

The word maternal can be used to mean the same thing, but it can also be used in a more neutral way that doesn’t imply these positive things, and the same is true of the word parental (which can be used regardless of the parent’s gender).

Sometimes, motherly means of or suitable for a mother, as in motherly instincts.

Motherly is most often used to describe mothers themselves, but it can be applied to someone who’s not a mother, as in After my mom died, I started relying on Jane for motherly support. 

Motherly can be used as an adverb meaning in the manner of a mother, but this is not as common.

Motherly is one of many similar adjectives based on family relations, including fatherly, grandfatherly, grandmotherly, brotherly, and sisterly.

Example: When my stepmom first moved in with us, I could tell that she was trying really hard to be motherly, and it showed me that she cared.

Where does motherly come from?

The first records of the word motherly come from before 1000. The suffix -ly is often used to form adverbs, but in the case of motherly it means “like” (i.e., like a mother).

The common meaning of motherly is based not on any mother but on a good mother, one who is nurturing and compassionate. The phrase motherly advice typically refers to advice that’s wise, comes from experience, and is intended to help you be the best you can be. Such advice can come from one’s actual mother or from a mother figure.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to motherly?

• motherliness (noun)
• unmotherly (adjective)

What are some synonyms for motherly?

• maternal
• motherlike
• parental

What are some words that share a root or word element with motherly? 

 

• mother
• mother figure
• motherhood
• fatherly
• grandmotherly
• grandfatherly
• brotherly
• sisterly

What are some words that often get used in discussing motherly?

• advice
• counsel
• support
• talk
• wise
• supportive
• loving

How is motherly used in real life?

Motherly is usually used in a positive way to describe a woman or something she does as being like a good mother. It can be applied to mothers or people who are not mothers.

i always love motherly advice from someone i know is being genuine. people just don’t understand how much it means to me.

— Noconi (@noconiedge) October 27, 2020

the woman at the dispensary always calls me hon and babe in such a motherly way that my heart is warm and fuzzy

— space ranger rae🧑🏼‍🚀 (@raetemps) September 27, 2020

Man I need a nurturing maternal figure in my life 🥺 Anyone wanna volunteer and provide me some motherly love

— Geebstone (@geebstone) October 27, 2020

 

 

Try using motherly!

Which of the following actions could be described as motherly?

A. giving you good advice
B. comforting you
C. cheering you on
D. all of the above