father figure
noun
a man embodying or seeming to embody the qualities of an idealized conception of the male parent, eliciting from others the emotional responses that a child typically has toward its father.
Also called
father image.
Origin of father figure
First recorded in 1930–35
Words nearby father figure
Example sentences from the Web for father figure
Anyone who has been in the presence of a powerful boss, guru, or other father-figure knows how toxic this dynamic can be.
Young people away from home for the first time transferred their father-figure needs to Paterno.
Why Penn State Fans Love Fired Coach Joe Paterno, Despite Child Abuse Scandal |Maureen Seaberg |November 10, 2011 |DAILY BEASTIn the traditional yakuza, for an Oyabun (father-figure) to kill his own Kobun (child) would be unthinkable.