different between motherless vs fatherless

English

Etymology

From Middle English moderles, from Old English m?dorl?as, from Proto-Germanic *m?d?rlausaz, equivalent to mother +? -less. Cognate with Saterland Frisian muurloos (“motherless”), Dutch moederloos (“motherless”), German mutterlos (“motherless”), Danish moderløs (“motherless”), Swedish moderlös (“motherless”), Icelandic móðurlaus (“motherless”).

Pronunciation

Adjective

motherless (not comparable)

1. Without a (living) mother.
2. Without mother (mucilaginous substance in fermenting liquid).
   • 1997, Good Housekeeping, volume 225, page 132:

     Once the bottle is opened, the starter may develop again if the vinegar is in your cupboard for awhile. If its appearance bothers you, strain the vinegar through several layers of cheesecloth into a sterilized bottle. Motherless or not, vinegar has [...]
3. (figuratively) Without a history or predecessor.

Hypernyms

• parentless

Coordinate terms

• fatherless

Derived terms

• motherlessness

Translations

Adverb

motherless (comparative more motherless, superlative most motherless)

1. (South Africa, Australia, slang) very, completely (especially in reference to drunkenness)
   • 2009, Bryce Courtenay, The Story Of Danny Dunn:

     At the wake, held at her old pub, Brenda watched as her sisters, brothers-in-law and several nieces and nephews got motherless drunk, then summoned a taxi to take them all home in two separate trips.

See also

• half orphan
• orphan

English

Etymology

From Middle English faderles, federles, from Old English fæderl?as, from Proto-Germanic *fad?rlausaz, equivalent to father +? -less. Cognate with German vaterlos.

Adjective

fatherless (not comparable)

1. Without a (living) father.
2. (figuratively) Without a known author or inventor.

Hypernyms

• parentless

Coordinate terms

• motherless

Derived terms

• fatherlessness

Translations

See also

• half orphan
• orphan