motherly

[muhth-er-lee]

adjective

1. pertaining to, characteristic of, or befitting a mother; maternal.

   motherly solicitude.

2. like a mother.

   to take a motherly interest in an orphan.

adverb

1. in the manner of a mother.

motherly

/ ˈmʌðəlɪ /

adjective

1. of or resembling a mother, esp in warmth, or protectiveness

Other Word Forms

• motherliness noun
• unmotherly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of motherly¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English moderly, Old English mōdorlīc. See mother ¹, -ly

Example Sentences

Slipping into the motherly role both in front of and behind the cameras appeared to be “effortless” for Jones, said writer and creator Ingelsby.

From Los Angeles Times

"It's not coming from the motherly, feminine side of it," Ms Rabinovitch-Fox added.

From BBC

Guibert says it was her own protective, motherly instinct that gave her pause; she also preferred the idea of a scripted film.

From Los Angeles Times

You talk about feeling motherly about your mom now and giving her grace.

From Los Angeles Times

While sidelined, she became a respected motherly figure around the team because of her maturity and leadership.

From Los Angeles Times

When To Use

What does motherly mean?

Motherly is an adjective that most commonly means like a mother. It’s especially used in a positive way to describe someone as being kind, nurturing, and protective—like a good mother who loves and cares for her child(ren).Describing someone as motherly often implies that they listen and give good advice—it’s perhaps most commonly used in the phrase motherly advice.The word maternal can be used to mean the same thing, but it can also be used in a more neutral way that doesn’t imply these positive things, and the same is true of the word parental (which can be used regardless of the parent’s gender).Sometimes, motherly means of or suitable for a mother, as in motherly instincts.Motherly is most often used to describe mothers themselves, but it can be applied to someone who’s not a mother, as in After my mom died, I started relying on Jane for motherly support. Motherly can be used as an adverb meaning in the manner of a mother, but this is not as common.Motherly is one of many similar adjectives based on family relations, including fatherly, grandfatherly, grandmotherly, brotherly, and sisterly.Example: When my stepmom first moved in with us, I could tell that she was trying really hard to be motherly, and it showed me that she cared.