motherless
motherless — adjective
1. describes a child or young animal whose mother has died or is not present in the
1.形容詞B1
釋義
describes a child or young animal whose mother has died or is not present in their everyday life
例句
The motherless calf stayed close to the farmer, looking for warmth.
attributive: motherless + [noun]
Aiko grew up motherless after her mother passed away when she was two.
predicative: grew up motherless
The charity supports motherless children in rural communities across Kenya.
Dr. Okafor runs a home for motherless babies whose mothers died during childbirth.
同義詞
- orphaned
broader meaning — can refer to losing one or both parents; more common in everyday use
用法筆記
Commonly used before a noun (attributive) or after a linking verb (predicative). Most frequent in written contexts such as news reports, charity appeals, and storytelling.
常見錯誤
❌The child is a motherless.
✅The child is motherless.
💡motherless is an adjective, not a noun, so it does not take an article.
❌She is motherless of a mother.
✅She is motherless.
💡motherless already means 'without a mother'; adding 'of a mother' is redundant.