Without a father, either because the father has died, left, or is unknown.
Old English 'fæder' + '-less' (suffix meaning 'without'). This simple combination reflects how early English speakers could express absence or lack of something essential.
Throughout literature and history, 'fatherless' appears as a marker of hardship—from ancient myths to modern stories—making it one of those words that carries emotional weight beyond its dictionary definition.
Mid-20th century social policy labeled children without fathers as 'fatherless' with pathological implications, despite mothers' labor and single-parent resilience. The term embedded assumptions that male presence = family adequacy, erasing maternal sacrifice and denying non-traditional family legitimacy.
Use 'single-parent household' or specify 'raised by mother/guardian' when relevant. Avoid deficit language that moralizes family structure. Recognize diverse care networks.
["single-parent household","maternal-headed family","raised by guardian","non-traditional family"]
Mothers and caregivers historically bore full responsibility while receiving stigma. Contemporary research validates single-parent resilience and multigenerational caregiving systems, especially in Black and immigrant communities.
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