motherly

adjective

moth·​er·​ly ˈmə-t͟hər-lē 

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a mother

motherly advice

2

: resembling a mother : maternal

motherliness noun

Synonyms

• maternal
• mother

Examples of motherly in a Sentence

She took her motherly duties very seriously.

she showed a sweet motherly tenderness toward the tiny kitten she was taking care of

Recent Examples on the Web

There are no saccharine bursts of motherly love to soften her portrayal — Button mostly remains a burden. —Irina Dumitrescu, The Dial, 27 Nov. 2024

Carter has already brought about some all-time Beth Dutton scenes, with the audience seeing a different side to her with that motherly relationship. —Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019

Which then draws parallels to the motherly figures in his life. —Nick Romano, EW.com, 14 Oct. 2024

Margaret is there in her warm and cozy motherly role. —Marc Berman, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

motherly

adjective

moth·​er·​ly ˈmət͟h-ər-lē 

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a mother

motherly affection

2

: resembling a mother

motherliness noun