paternal

adjective

pa·​ter·​nal pə-ˈtər-nᵊl How to pronounce paternal (audio)
1
a
: of or relating to a father
offered his children some paternal advice
paternal responsibilities
b
: like that of a father
paternal benevolence
2
: received or inherited from one's male parent
lived and worked on his paternal farm
3
: related through one's father
paternal grandfather
paternally adverb

Examples of paternal in a Sentence

He did not neglect his paternal responsibilities after the divorce.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Their two-year-old sister Love, her mother, Dana Tran, their paternal grandmother, Janice Combs, and their father are also in the photo. Lisa Respers France, CNN, 22 Oct. 2024 Then, on my father’s side, who is from Louisiana, [my paternal grandmother] also sewed for her 16 children. Ruth Etiesit Samuel, Essence, 8 Oct. 2024 Retailing for $89, the brand is named for Beyoncé’s paternal great-grandfather, Davis Hogue, a farmer and moonshiner in the American South during Prohibition. Hannah Malach, WWD, 29 Sep. 2024 Queen Sofia of Spain, Theodora’s paternal aunt, is expected to be in attendance, according to Hello!. Rachel Burchfield, Peoplemag, 26 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for paternal 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin paternalis, from Latin paternus paternal, from pater

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of paternal was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near paternal

Cite this Entry

“Paternal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paternal. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

paternal

adjective
pa·​ter·​nal pə-ˈtərn-ᵊl How to pronounce paternal (audio)
1
: fatherly
paternal advice
2
: received or inherited from one's father
3
: related through the father
a paternal grandfather
paternally adverb
Etymology

from Latin paternalis "fatherly," from earlier paternus (same meaning), from pater "father" — related to padre, patron, pattern

More from Merriam-Webster on paternal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!