mothering

American  

[muhth-er-ing] / ˈmʌð ər ɪŋ /

noun

1. the nurturing of a child by a mother or in the way that a mother does.

   I'm so relieved to be finally able to do the mothering of my children in my own home.

2. the act of caring for or protecting like a mother, sometimes in an excessive way.

   Even though her cold wasn't better yet, she was getting tired of his mothering.

3. (in rural England) the custom of visiting one's parents on Laetare Sunday with a present.

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Etymology

Origin of mothering

First recorded in 1640–50; mother ¹ + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

In her new Netflix movie “Goodbye June,” she’s the one who needs mothering.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 15, 2025

Reflecting on her character's journey in the film, Adams explained: "Through her parenting - through her mothering - she got in touch with something bigger and something primal."

From BBC • Oct. 16, 2024

But the mothering role has been usurped by Roman’s mother, Tara, with whom the couple lives in Adamsville, N.Y., a small town undergoing a post-COVID gentrification.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 18, 2024

I was writing this book during COVID, and I was reading all of this research on how important "mothering the mother" was for caregivers.

From Salon • Aug. 26, 2023

Missed out on the best of her mothering years, but it's not too late yet.'

From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro