Meaning & use
Paternal
Last updated
Relating to or characteristic of a father, or inherited through the father's side of a family.
See it in a sentence
He inherited his love of sailing from his paternal grandfather.
She spoke to the new intern with a paternal warmth that put him at ease.
A note on using this word
Comes from the Latin "pater," meaning father; used both literally (paternal grandmother) and figuratively (paternal advice).
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Paternal”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.