fatherly

1 of 2

adjective

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

fatherliness

2 of 2

noun

fa·​ther·​li·​ness -lēnə̇s How to pronounce fatherliness (audio)
-lin-
plural -es
: paternal quality : the kindness or benignity of or befitting a father
the gentleness and fatherliness of the strange old man eased the young girl's fears

Examples of fatherly in a Sentence

Adjective He took a fatherly interest in the careers of younger writers.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Din eventually adopts a fatherly relationship with his young ward and tries to protect him from all threats. — Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 21 May 2026 Delroy Lindo then enveloped him in a fatherly embrace. — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2026 Mychal’s fatherly intuition, influenced by all those years in NBA arenas and practice gyms, proved correct. — Joe Vardon, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026 Nussmeier isn’t the only Chiefs QB with fatherly NFL ties taking part in this year’s rookie mini-camp. — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for fatherly

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

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

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

Browse Nearby Words

fatherliness
fatherly
father right
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fatherly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fatherly. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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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

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for fatherly

Nglish: Translation of fatherly for Spanish Speakers

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