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
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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 The most loving, fiercely motherly thing to do in this whole world is to want to know who your children are, and to love them on that honest and genuine basis. 
Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 28 July 2022 Priyanka Chopra Jonas is blossoming with motherly love. Shafiq Najib, Peoplemag, 21 Aug. 2022 RuPaul really mastered the art of hosting: genuine, off the cuff, hilarious and motherly. Mikey O'connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 June 2022 There's romance with Hamlet, naturally, but also a deeper, motherly relationship with Queen Gertrude. Marisa Lascala, Good Housekeeping, 31 May 2022 Breast milk is revered as the ideal food for newborns and a sign of motherly nurture. Sushma Subramanian, Washington Post, 13 May 2022 However, instead of reliving his days as a high-scoring defenseman and captain for a team in Finland, McCrimmon wanted to make known the role motherly influences have played in his life. Scott Talley, Freep.com, 7 May 2022 The annual celebration of moms and all motherly types comes on the second Sunday of May, and there are always plenty of ways to express your gratitude for those maternal figures in your life. Emily Deletter, The Enquirer, 2 May 2022 That unconditional motherly love is one of the main reasons to spoil our moms this upcoming Mother’s Day. Nel-olivia Waga, Forbes, 3 May 2022 See More
Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 28 July 2022 Priyanka Chopra Jonas is blossoming with motherly love. Shafiq Najib, Peoplemag, 21 Aug. 2022 RuPaul really mastered the art of hosting: genuine, off the cuff, hilarious and motherly. Mikey O'connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 June 2022 There's romance with Hamlet, naturally, but also a deeper, motherly relationship with Queen Gertrude. Marisa Lascala, Good Housekeeping, 31 May 2022 Breast milk is revered as the ideal food for newborns and a sign of motherly nurture. Sushma Subramanian, Washington Post, 13 May 2022 However, instead of reliving his days as a high-scoring defenseman and captain for a team in Finland, McCrimmon wanted to make known the role motherly influences have played in his life. Scott Talley, Freep.com, 7 May 2022 The annual celebration of moms and all motherly types comes on the second Sunday of May, and there are always plenty of ways to express your gratitude for those maternal figures in your life. Emily Deletter, The Enquirer, 2 May 2022 That unconditional motherly love is one of the main reasons to spoil our moms this upcoming Mother’s Day. Nel-olivia Waga, Forbes, 3 May 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
motherly
adjective
moth·er·ly ˈmə-t͟hər-lē
1
: of or characteristic of a mother
motherly affection
2
: like a mother
a motherly nurse
motherly
adjective
as in maternal
of, relating to, or characteristic of a mother she showed a sweet motherly tenderness toward the tiny kitten she was taking care of Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- maternal
- mother
- parental
- womanly
- feminine
- female
- caring
- nurturing
- matronly
- womanlike
- womanish
- matriarchal
- giving