Maternal

Quick meaning: Maternal is an adjective meaning Of or pertaining to a mother; having the characteristics of a mother; motherly.

Meaning

Of or pertaining to a mother; having the characteristics of a mother; motherly.

More Meanings

1. Related through the mother, or her side of the family.
2. (anatomy, medicine) Derived from the mother as opposed to the foetus during pregnancy.
3. A person related through the mother, or her side of the family; a maternal relative.
4. (dated, informal) A mother.

Example Sentences

His weakness seemed to bring out her maternal instincts.

However, the Hebrew (I ſay) is the moſt antient and maternall Language; for Adam uſed it, and all men before the Flood, as is manifeſt from the Scripture, and Fathers.

Thus lonely left, no soft maternal breast / His murmurs soothed, or cradled him to rest; / Moist with delight, no maternal eye / Watched his weak limbs their early efforts try, [...]

In potato, crosses between the tetraploid cultivated species Solanum tuberosum, and some clones of the diploid wild-type species S. phureja, constitute a method of producing maternal dihaploids.

Word Forms

• maternall
• maternals

Synonyms for maternal

Depending on context, synonyms include enate, paternal, parental, enatic, motherly, maternalistic.

Antonyms for maternal

Common opposites include fatherly, paternal, fetal, foetal, filial.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include motherlike, maternalistic, motherly, parental, enate, enatic.

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