Definition of "father-figure" [father-figure]

• A man (often a powerful or influential man) who arouses emotions usually felt for your real father and with whom you identify psychologically (noun)

WordNet. Princeton University. 2010.

• "He came to hunting late in life and had no father-figure teaching him these things when he was growing up, so here I am, 25 years his junior, mentoring him into being an ethical hunter, and competent shooter."
• "If you need to conceptualize a supreme being as a big, stick wielding father-figure, here to make you behave ... well, I pity you."
• "Mr. Graham-Dixon regards the cardinal as Caravaggio's first "father-figure.""