maternal
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Financial, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
ma·ter·nal
(mə-tûr′nəl)adj.
1. Relating to or characteristic of a mother or motherhood; motherly: maternal instinct.
2. Inherited from one's mother: a maternal trait.
3. Related through one's mother: my maternal uncle.
[Middle English, from Old French maternel, from Medieval Latin māternālis, from Latin māternus, from māter, mother; see māter- in Indo-European roots.]
ma·ter′nal·ism n.
ma·ter′nal·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
maternal
(məˈtɜːnəl)adj
1. of, relating to, derived from, or characteristic of a mother
2. related through the mother's side of the family: his maternal uncle.
[C15: from Medieval Latin māternālis, from Latin māternus, from māter mother]
maˈternalism n
maˌternalˈistic adj
maˈternally adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ma•ter•nal
(məˈtɜr nl)adj.
1. of, pertaining to, having the qualities of, or befitting a mother.
2. related through a mother: his maternal aunt.
3. derived or inherited from a mother.
[1475–85; < Medieval Latin māternālis= Latin mātern(us) (māter mother1 + -nus adj. suffix) + -ālis -al1]
ma•ter′nal•ism, n.
ma•ter`nal•is′tic, adj.
ma•ter′nal•ly, adv.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Adj. | 1. | maternal - characteristic of a mother; "warm maternal affection for her guest"- Dorothy Sayers matriarchal - characteristic of a matriarchy paternal - characteristic of a father |
2. | maternal - relating to or derived from one's mother; "maternal genes" | |
3. | maternal - relating to or characteristic of or befitting a parent; "parental guidance" | |
4. | maternal - related on the mother's side; "my maternal grandmother" related - connected by kinship, common origin, or marriage |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
maternal
adjective motherly, protective, nurturing, maternalistic Her feelings towards him were maternal.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
أمّي، كشُعور الأممُتَعَلِقٌ بِالْأُمِّمن جِهَة الأم
mateřskýz matčiny strany
moderlig
äidillinen
אימהי
majčinskimajkinmajčin
anyai
móîur-úr móîurætt
母性の
어머니의
iš motinos pusėskaip motinamotiniškaimotiniškasmotinos
mātes-no mātes puses
z matkinej strany
moderlig
เกี่ยวกับมารดา
thuộc mẹ
maternal
[məˈtɜːnl] ADJCollins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
maternal
adj → mütterlich; maternal grandfather → Großvater mütterlicherseits; maternal affection or love → Mutterliebe f; maternal instincts → Mutterinstinkte pl, → mütterliche Instinkte pl; to be maternal to somebody → sich jdm gegenüber mütterlich or wie eine Mutter verhalten; maternal health care → medizinische Betreuung für Mütter; maternal death rate → Müttersterblichkeit f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
maternal
[məˈtɜːnl] adj → materno/aCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
maternal
(məˈtəːnl) adjective1. of or like a mother. maternal feelings.
2. related on the mother's side of the family. my maternal grandfather.
maˈternally adverbKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
maternal
→ مُتَعَلِقٌ بِالْأُمِّ mateřský moderlig mütterlich μητρικός maternal äidillinen maternel majčinski materno 母性の 어머니의 moederlijk moderlig materialny maternal материнский moderlig เกี่ยวกับมารดา annelik thuộc mẹ 母性的Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
ma·ter·nal
a. maternal, materno-a, rel. a la madre;
___ fetal exchange → intercambio maternofetal;
___ welfare → bienestar materno.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
maternal
adj materno; (motherly) maternal; — grandfather abuelo materno; — instinct instinto maternalEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.