paternal

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English

Alternative forms

Etymology

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).

Pronunciation

  • enPR: pə-tû(r)'nəl, IPA(key): /pəˈtɜː(ɹ)nəl/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)nəl

Adjective

paternal (comparative more paternal, superlative most paternal)

  1. Of or pertaining to one's father, his genes, his relatives, or his side of a family.
    paternal grandfather
    • 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Different Views of Youth and Age”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. , volume I, London: Henry Colburn, , →OCLC, page 93:
      It was with a natural touch of pride that Norbourne Courtenaye paced his paternal hall, while waiting for his uncle, with whom he was going to ride.
  2. Fatherly; behaving as or characteristic of a father.
  3. Received or inherited from one's father.
  4. Acting as a father.
    (Can we add an example for this sense?)

Antonyms

Coordinate terms

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Anagrams

Old French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin paternālis. Compare the descended term paternel.

Adjective

paternal m (oblique and nominative feminine singular paternale)

  1. paternal

Declension

Descendants

  • English: paternal

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French paternel. By surface analysis, patern +‎ -al.

Adjective

paternal m or n (feminine singular paternală, masculine plural paternali, feminine and neuter plural paternale)

  1. fatherly

Declension

Spanish

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pateɾˈnal/
  • Rhymes: -al
  • Syllabification: pa‧ter‧nal

Adjective

paternal m or f (masculine and feminine plural paternales)

  1. paternal, fatherly

Derived terms

Further reading