Wordwyrt

fatherly

/ˈfɒðəli/FAH-thur-lee
UK form converted from the US by rule · unchecked
/ˈfɑðɚli/FAH-thur-lee

Meaninglike a father

Common meaning: kind and protective

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Journey through time

  1. Proto-Indo-European*pa-‘feed, nourish, protect’source
  2. Old EnglishfædersourceB&T
  3. Middle Englishfadersource
  4. Englishfather‘a male parent’
  5. Englishformed in English from fatherfatherly‘kind and protective’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Formed in English from father + -ly.

Dictionary: Skeat (1898), FATHER, p.204 · scan

Source words

  • fæder Old English · source word “a father”

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