motherly
Motherly (adj) means warm, protective, and nurturing in the way typically associated with a mother. Example: “She gave the frightened boy a motherly hug.”
How to Use Motherly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBehaving the way a caring mother would — gentle, protective, and nurturing.
Word Forms
more motherly comparative, more motherly comparative, most motherly superlative, most motherly superlative
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
She gave the frightened boy a _____ hug.
Etymology
From Old English mōdorlīċ, built from mother plus the suffix -ly ("in the manner of").
Rhymes for motherly
See all rhymes for motherly →Frequently Asked Questions
What does “motherly” mean?
The word “motherly” means warm, protective, and nurturing in the way typically associated with a mother. In plain terms, behaving the way a caring mother would — gentle, protective, and nurturing.
How do you pronounce “motherly”?
“Motherly” is pronounced MUH-thuh-lee (/ˈmʌðɚli/ in IPA).
How do you use “motherly” in a sentence?
Here is “motherly” used in a sentence: “She gave the frightened boy a motherly hug.”
What part of speech is “motherly”?
“Motherly” is an adjective.
Where does the word “motherly” come from?
The word “motherly” comes from Old English. From Old English mōdorlīċ, built from mother plus the suffix -ly ("in the manner of").