MOTHERLY

motherly

(adjective) befitting a mother; warm and nurturing

maternally, motherly

(adverb) in a maternal manner; as a mother; “she loved her students almost maternally”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adjective

motherly (comparative more motherly, superlative most motherly)

Befitting a mother; warm, caring, nurturing, protective, loving.

Source: Wiktionary


Moth"er*ly, a. Etym: [AS. modorlic.]

Definition: Of or pertaining to a mother; like, or suitable for, a mother; tender; maternal; as, motherly authority, love, or care. Hooker.

Syn.

– Maternal; paternal.

– Motherly, Maternal. Motherly, being Anglo-Saxon, is the most familiar word of the two when both have the same meaning. Besides this, maternal is confined to the feelings of a mother toward her own children, whereas motherly has a secondary sense, denoting a care like that of a mother for her offspring. There is, perhaps, a growing tendency thus to separate the two, confining motherly to the latter signification. "They termed her the great mother, for her motherly care in cherishing her brethren whilst young." Sir W. Raleigh.

Moth"er*ly, adv.

Definition: In a manner of a mother.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

14 November 2024

FRISK

(noun) the act of searching someone for concealed weapons or illegal drugs; “he gave the suspect a quick frisk”


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Coffee Trivia

Decaffeinated coffee is not caffeine-free. Studies from the National Institute of Health (US) have shown that virtually all decaf coffee types contain caffeine. A 236-ml (8-oz) cup of decaf coffee contains up to 7 mg of caffeine, whereas a regular cup provided 70-140 mg.

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