mother figure

[muhth-er fig-yer]

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of mother figure¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

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.

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

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He says he “misses a mother figure ... but I think what she’s going through is deserved.”

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You age regress and look for a strong father or mother figure or other authoritarian leader to tell you what to do.

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It’s hard to go wrong with celebrating the mother figures in your life with flowers.

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