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.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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" parental, paternal
	4.	maternal - related on the mother's side; "my maternal grandmother" enate, enatic related - connected by kinship, common origin, or marriage

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

mütterlich mütterlicherseits

μητρικός

maternal materno

äidillinen

maternel maternelle

אימהי

majčinskimajkinmajčin

anyai

móîur-úr móîurætt

materno abiti per gestanti congedo per maternit...maternit...

母性の

어머니의

iš motinos pusėskaip motinamotiniškaimotiniškasmotinos

mātes-no mātes puses

z matkinej strany

moderlig

เกี่ยวกับมารดา

anneanne tarafındananneliğe aitannelik

thuộc mẹ

母亲的母性的母系的

maternal

[məˈtɜːnl] ADJ

1. (= motherly) [woman, behaviour, instinct] → maternal; [feelings, love] → maternal, de madre

2. (= on the mother's side) → materno (por parte de madre)
maternal aunt → tía f materna (por parte de madre)
maternal grandfather → abuelo m materno (por parte de madre)

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

maternal

[məˈtɜː^rn^əl] adj

[instinct] → maternel(le)

[grandmother, grandfather] → maternel(le)

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/a

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

maternal

(məˈtəːnl) adjective

1. of or like a mother. maternal feelings.

2. related on the mother's side of the family. my maternal grandfather.

maˈternally adverb

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

ma·ter·nal

a. maternal, materno-a, rel. a la madre;

___ fetal exchange → intercambio maternofetal;

___ welfare → bienestar materno.

maternal

adj materno; (motherly) maternal; — grandfather abuelo materno; — instinct instinto maternal

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

I have been called an unkind mother, but it was the sacred impulse of maternal affection, it was the advantage of my daughter that led me on; and if that daughter were not the greatest simpleton on earth, I might have been rewarded for my exertions as I ought.

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Came likewise the scene, after Joe had departed, when the maternal feelings of Mrs.

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There was a dreaminess, a pre-occupation, an exaltation, in the maternal look which the girl could not understand.

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Through the open door of the parlour at the back of the shop Winnie, his sister, glanced at him from time to time with maternal vigilance.

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His father was a High Chief, a King; his uncle a High Priest; and on the maternal side he boasted aunts who were the wives of unconquerable warriors.

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As she was a womanly little woman, the maternal instinct was very strong, and she was entirely absorbed in her children, to the utter exclusion of everything and everybody else.

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Was there something maternal in this assumption of control?

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'Graymarsh's maternal aunt,' said Squeers, when he had possessed himself of the contents, 'is very glad to hear he's so well and happy, and sends her respectful compliments to Mrs Squeers, and thinks she must be an angel.

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As for the sons and the daughters they beget, why, those sons and daughters must take care of themselves; at least, with only the maternal help.

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For a year or two Eliza saw her husband frequently, and there was nothing to interrupt their happiness, except the loss of two infant children, to whom she was passionately attached, and whom she mourned with a grief so intense as to call for gentle remonstrance from her mistress, who sought, with maternal anxiety, to direct her naturally passionate feelings within the bounds of reason and religion.

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Only in discerning between the Father and the Mother would the Circular infant find problems for the exercise of its understanding -- problems too often likely to be corrupted by maternal impostures with the result of shaking the child's faith in all logical conclusions.

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I could not but note the unnecessary harshness and brutality with which her guards treated her; so different from the almost maternal kindliness which Sola manifested toward me, and the respectful attitude of the few green Martians who took the trouble to notice me at all.

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