mütterlicher

Mütterlicher is the comparative form of the German adjective mütterlich, meaning more motherly or maternal. It describes qualities or behaviors associated with a mother or with motherly care, such as gentleness, protectiveness, or nurturing conduct. The word can refer to a person’s demeanor, tone, or approach when a higher degree of nurturance is implied.

Etymology and form: The adjective derives from the noun Mutter (mother) with the suffix -lich, which forms adjectives indicating a characteristic. In German, mütterlich follows the regular inflection patterns for adjectives in the comparative: mütterlicher is used in masculine or neuter contexts, while mütterliche or mütterlicheitung forms appear before various nouns. In predicative use, it can appear as “Sie wirkt mütterlicher” or in comparisons such as “Sie wirkt mütterlicher als zuvor.”

Usage: Common collocations include mütterliche Zuwendung, mütterliche Wärme, mütterlicher Instinkt, and mütterliche Fürsorge. It can be used attributively before a noun (eine mütterlichere Haltung) or predicatively (Sie wirkt mütterlicher). The term often conveys a contrast with more distant or less nurturing attitudes and is widely used in everyday language, literature, and journalism when describing maternal behavior or tone.

See also: mütterlich, väterlich, fürsorglich, maternal.

Note: While mütterlicher primarily appears in German contexts, its semantics align with those of the English term “more motherly.” It is less common in highly formal registers, where alternatives such as “maternal” or “fürsorglich” may be preferred depending on the context.