Motherly

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Motherly \Moth"er*ly\, a. [AS. m[=o]dorlic.]
     Of or pertaining to a mother; like, or suitable for, a
     mother; tender; maternal; as, motherly authority, love, or
     care. --Hooker.
     [1913 Webster]
  


     Syn: Maternal; paternal.
  
     Usage: {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.
            [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Motherly \Moth"er*ly\, adv.
     In a manner of a mother.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  motherly
       adj : befitting a mother; warm and nurturing
       adv : in a maternal manner; as a mother; "she loved her students
             almost maternally" [syn: {maternally}]