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fatherless

[fah-ther-lis]

adjective

  1. not having a living father.

    a fatherless boy.

  2. not having a known or legally responsible father.



ˈfatherless

/ ˈfɑːðəlɪs /

adjective

  1. having no father

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of fatherless1

before 1000; Middle English faderles, Old English fæderlēas. See father, -less
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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Christian magazine Charisma further explained that throughout the Bible, “God commands His people to ‘defend the fatherless’ and to care for orphans with compassion, justice and sacrificial love.”

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Delila Combs, 18, pleaded: "We can't watch our baby sister grow up fatherless the same way we grew up motherless... Please, please give our family the chance to heal."

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Through his Pearl Fund, he is making a difference in the lives of orphaned, fatherless and poverty-stricken young people.

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The letter refers to the boy being a fatherless apprentice and through his research Prof Steggle says there was only one person in London called John Butts who fits that criteria.

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"I'm disgusted that the Metropolitan Police will allow me to live fatherless for the rest of my life."

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