Paternal

Pronunciation

• enPR: pÉ™-tû(r)'nÉ™l, IPA: /pəˈtɜː(r)nÉ™l/

Origin

From Old French paternal ("of a father") (12c.), a learned borrowing from Vulgar Latin paternālis ("paternal"), from Classical Latin paternus ("of or pertaining to a father, paternal"), from pater ("father").

Full definition of paternal

Adjective

1. Of or pertaining to one's father, his genes, his relatives, or his side of a familypaternal grandfather
2. Fatherly; behaving as or characteristic of a father.
3. Received or inherited from one's father.
• Drydentheir small paternal field of corn
4. Acting as a fatherpaternal filicide

Derived terms

• paternalism
• paternalistic
• paternally
• paternal aunt
• paternal cousin
• paternal grandfather
• paternal grandmother
• paternal uncle

Antonyms

• maternal – mother

Coordinate terms

• avuncular – uncle
• maternal – mother
• materteral – aunt

Anagrams

• parental, prenatal