motherless
Without a motherWithout a (living) mother.
» Sometimes I feel like a motherless child.
Meaning
3 senses(not comparable)Without a (living) mother.
mutterlos
having no living or known mother
(not comparable)Without mother (mucilaginous substance in fermenting liquid).
(figuratively, not comparable)Without a history or predecessor.
Examples
3 sentencesSometimes I feel like a motherless child.
He was no better than a motherless child.
You poor motherless children! How I pity you; and yet I can do nothing to help you!
deIhr armen mutterlosen Kinder! Wie ich euch bedauere! Und doch kann ich nichts tun, um euch zu helfen.
Translations
3 languagesBy meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English moderles, from Old English mōdorlēas, from Proto-Germanic *mōdērlausazFrom Middle English moderles, from Old English mōdorlēas, from Proto-Germanic *mōdērlausaz, 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”).
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