fatherly

adjective

fa·​ther·​ly ˈfä-t͟hər-lē How to pronounce fatherly (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or befitting a father
fatherly responsibilities
2
: resembling a father (as in affection or care)
a fatherly old man
fatherliness noun
fatherly adverb

Examples of fatherly in a Sentence

He took a fatherly interest in the careers of younger writers.
Recent Examples on the Web Such fatherly behaviors might have evolved thanks to female canids continually choosing males that care for their young, one study suggests. Devin Farmiloe, Scientific American, 14 Feb. 2024 What one key Chief’s likely absence means for 49ers in Super Bowl Ed even shared some fatherly advice for this week in the run-up to this game, the biggest of his son’s career. Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2024 Readers even get a little bit of fatherly advice on how to handle uncertainty and low self-esteem. A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez, Parents, 7 Dec. 2023 Rothenberg Gritz: One of the really moving parts of the piece is that these men, especially Robert Certain, seemed to take kind of a fatherly attitude toward you. Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Nov. 2023 While on set of his PEOPLE cover story (hitting newsstands Friday) on the rooftop terrace of his London apartment, Ramsay makes a fatherly faux pas. Ana Calderone, Peoplemag, 20 Sep. 2023 There is camaraderie at the Paris film agency at the center of the show until the death of its fatherly head. Chandra Steele, PCMAG, 30 Aug. 2023 Stan will no longer be a living memory, a familiar face, a fatherly influence. Abraham Josephine Riesman, Vulture, 22 June 2023 Country Thunder Arizona 2023 festival:Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, more headlined festival Bentley couldn’t resist injecting some fatherly protectiveness into his daughter’s shopping mission. USA TODAY, 11 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fatherly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fatherly was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near fatherly

Cite this Entry

“Fatherly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fatherly. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

fatherly

adjective
fa·​ther·​ly ˈfät͟h-ər-lē How to pronounce fatherly (audio)
ˈfȧt͟h-
1
: of or resembling a father
fatherly responsibilities
2
: showing the affection or concern of a father
fatherly advice
fatherliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fatherly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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