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unfathered

American  
[uhn-fah-therd] / ʌnˈfɑ ðərd /

adjective

  1. having no father; fatherless.

  2. of illegitimate or unknown paternity; bastard.

  3. not ascribable to a particular author or source.

    unfathered tales.


unfathered British  
/ ʌnˈfɑːðəd /

adjective

  1. having no known father

  2. of unknown or uncertain origin

  3. archaic  fatherless

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of unfathered

First recorded in 1590–1600; un- 1 + father + -ed 3

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But he turned to his own family, then as always afterwards, with an affection stimulated by his unfathered state in England.

From Project Gutenberg

From all other contact with the world they are shielded by an outpost guard of a few of the Servants of Mary, an industrious, self-supporting sisterhood, whose own convent, half a mile away, is a refuge for unwedded mothers and a home for unfathered children.

From Project Gutenberg

Unfathered, un-f�′thėrd, adj. having no father, fatherless: not acknowledged by its father.—adj.

From Project Gutenberg

Why, look you," the judge would say, "this boy is really no proper child at all; anyhow he is quite unfathered, and could be as rascally as he pleased, for there's none to cast it up to him.

From Project Gutenberg

Ha, ye beside the wall Unfathered children, God hate you As I am hated, and him, too, That gat you, and this house and all!

From Project Gutenberg