father figure
40
3.9
- noun
- /ˈfɑːðər ˈfɪɡər/
:
figura paterna
- Jay B. Perkins, a retired minister, was a powerful father figure to me.
- found a father figure
- mother and father figures
And I wouldn't recommend not having at least a father figure in a girl's life.
- And I wouldn't recommend not having at least a father figure in a girl's life.
- Lazmet is the, you know, sort of father figure to these these two Raizak and, and Kira.
- But yeah, not just politically, but just as a man, as just a healthy male father figure and mentor.
- If a child does not have a father figure around, they feel less safe and less secure.
- So I got over that early and then I had father figures in my life.
- Flax was the ultimate cool father figure.
- These are deeply under socialized, deeply lonely men looking for a father figure, right?
- And I said, who She goes, oh, I've already spoken to the manager and he will help you with this because you've got no father figure there.
- And figures especially like Barry Lower were these sort of father figures.
- But this father figure or my therapist.
- But how did you, how do you handle with not having that father figure to go to?
- How was that for you come off without having a father figure.
Examples
-
Walter was the gentle giant, the father figure, the one the other boys respected.
Academic text (2003) -
I consider John Pound like a father figure to me.
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And studies show that little boys need a strong male father figure role model.
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If a child does not have a father figure around, they feel less safe and less secure.
-
I suppose Miles saw him as a sort of father figure.
-
Especially those pupils who had had no father figure at home.
Fiction book (1999) -
And he became a father figure to me and a mentor.
-
You've been a father figure to both of them.
-
Vivi needed a strong father figure, someone to love her faithfully and protect her.
Fiction book (2002) -
My mentor has always been a strong father figure in my life, guiding me through tough decisions.
Synonyms
5
3.2
A man who cares for and raises a child when the parents cannot
A man who acts like a father to someone and cares for them
A man who looks after a child who is not his own
Antonyms
How Paternal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a man who provides guidance and support similar to a father' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'father' (male parent) with 'figure' (a person in a particular role). This noun-noun compositional pattern and the concept of a ‘father-like’ role exist in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Father figure comes from the image of a man, a figure, who acts like a father by giving care, advice and support. So 'father figure' means 'a man who acts like a father' to someone, even if he is not their real father.