fatherly

[ fah-ther-lee ]
See synonyms for fatherly on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. of, like, or befitting a father.

adverb
  1. Obsolete. in the manner of a father.

Origin of fatherly

1
First recorded before 1000; Middle English faderly, Old English fæderlic. See father, -ly

synonym study For fatherly

1. Fatherly, paternal refer to the relationship of a male parent to his children. Fatherly has emotional connotations; it always suggests a kind, protective, tender, or forbearing attitude: fatherly advice. Paternal may suggest a kindly, proprietary attitude: paternal interest; but it may also be used objectively, as a legal and official term: his paternal grandmother; paternal estate.

Other words from fatherly

  • fa·ther·li·ness, noun
  • pseu·do·fa·ther·ly, adverb
  • un·fa·ther·ly, adjective

Words Nearby fatherly

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use fatherly in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for fatherly

fatherly

/ (ˈfɑːðəlɪ) /


adjective
  1. of, resembling, or suitable to a father

Derived forms of fatherly

  • fatherliness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012