maternal
məˈtɜrnəl
Definition Synonyms

Definition of maternal - Reverso English Dictionary

Adjective

1.
familyconnected through the mother's side of the family
  • Her maternal grandparents live in Italy.
maternalistic motherly
2.
motherhoodrelated to a mother or motherhood
  • She has a strong maternal instinct.
maternalistic motherlike motherly
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Expressions with maternal

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mother's father in a family
My maternal grandfather taught me how to fish.
mother of one's mother
My maternal grandmother taught me how to bake.
natural drive in mothers to care for children
Her maternal instinct made her comfort the crying baby.
aunt who is the sister of one's mother
My maternal aunt is visiting us this weekend.
child of one's mother's sibling
My maternal cousin visited us last summer.
having tenderness and warmth like a mother
She showed great maternal quality when caring for the child.

Origin of maternal

Latin, maternus (motherly)

Terms with maternal included in their meaning

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momn.
maternal figure
informal term for a woman having a maternal role
maternal role
woman who acts like a mother to someone
doubleadj.
family relationship
related on both maternal and paternal sides
family
cousin related on both maternal and paternal sides
family
lineage traced through both maternal and paternal ancestors
healthcare
the medical field focused on childbirth and maternal care
descent
involving descent through both maternal and paternal lineage
ancestry
tracing descent from either the paternal or maternal line only

Examples of maternal in a sentence

  • His maternal lineage is rich in history.
  • Her maternal care was evident in her actions.
  • The maternal bond is strong in many species.

View all translations of maternal

Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
  1. French:maternel, ...
  2. German:mütterlich, ...
  3. Italian:materno, ...
  4. Spanish:materno, maternal, ...
  5. Portuguese:materno, ...
  6. Chinese:母系的, 母性的, ...
  7. Japanese:母方の, 母性的な, ...
  8. Arabic:أُمِّيّ, أُمُومِيّ, ...
  9. Hebrew:מִצַּד הָאֵם, אִמְהִי, ...
  10. Russian:материнский, ...
  11. Ukrainian:материнський, ...
  12. Hindi:मातृपक्षीय, मातृ, ...

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