mother figure

American  

[muhth-er fig-yer] / ˈmʌð ər ˌfɪg yər /

noun

1. an emotional substitute for one's mother, especially one who fulfills parental functions such as protection, authority, support, etc.

---

Etymology

Origin of mother figure

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

She could not have known it would fuse her into the public’s consciousness as a devoted mother figure.

From Salon • Feb. 4, 2026

Like that earlier work, “The Thanksgiving Visitor” is also drawn from Capote’s boyhood within a clan of eccentric relatives that included an older cousin and mother figure known as Sook.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

But Hrka, who has attended countless demonstrations alongside the students, has embraced her role as a mother figure to the protest movement.

From Barron's • Nov. 17, 2025

It is now a contest between an impulsive and aggressive father archetype and a very different archetype: the strong, no-nonsense, but compassionate working mother figure.

From Slate • Aug. 18, 2024

With me as the worried mother figure who consoled him over bad breakups, and him as the sensitive kid who listened and supported me through my meltdowns.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi