moth ‧ er ‧ less /ˈmʌðələs $ -ðər-/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ mother , ↑ motherhood , ↑ mothering ; adjective : ↑ motherly , ↑ motherless ; verb : ↑ mother ]
a motherless child is one whose mother has died ⇨ fatherless :
homes for children who had been left motherless