Defn: Of or pertaining to a mother; like, or suitable for, a mother; tender; maternal; as, motherly authority, love, or care. Hooker.
Syn. — Maternal; paternal. — 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.
MOTHERLY
Moth"er*ly, adv.
Defn: In a manner of a mother.
MOTHER-NAKED
Moth"er-na`ked, a.
Defn: Naked as when born.
MOTHER-OF-PEARL
Moth"er-of-pearl`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The hard pearly internal layer of several kinds of shells, esp. of pearl oysters, river mussels, and the abalone shells; nacre. See Pearl.
MOTHER-OF-THYME
Moth"er-of-thyme`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: An aromatic plant (Thymus Serphyllum); — called also wild thyme.