Standard Lemma guide

maternalism

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The treatment of people in a motherly manner, especially by caring for them as a mother would care for her children.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

motherly care; behavior characteristic of a mother; the practice of acting as a mother does toward her children

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: care, attention, aid, tending

3

noun

Meaning 3

the quality of having or showing the tenderness and warmth and affection of or befitting a mother

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the girl's motherliness made her invaluable in caring for the children

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: motherliness, maternal quality, maternity

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: parental quality

History

Etymology

From maternal + -ism.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 母愛主義 /母爱主义 (mǔ'ài zhǔyì) — treatment of people in a motherly manner
  • Chinese Mandarin: 母爱主义 (mǔ'ài zhǔyì) — treatment of people in a motherly manner
  • Chinese Mandarin: 家長主義 /家长主义 (jiāzhǎng zhǔyì) — treatment of people in a motherly manner
  • Chinese Mandarin: 家长主义 (jiāzhǎng zhǔyì) — treatment of people in a motherly manner
  • Finnish: äidillisyys — treatment of people in a motherly manner