maternal
Americanadjective
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of, pertaining to, having the qualities of, or befitting a mother.
maternal instincts.
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related through a mother.
his maternal aunt.
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derived from a mother.
maternal genes.
adjective
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of, relating to, derived from, or characteristic of a mother
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related through the mother's side of the family
his maternal uncle
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of maternal
1475–85; < Medieval Latin māternālis, equivalent to Latin mātern ( us ) ( māter mother 1 + -nus adj. suffix) + -ālis -al 1
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Explanation
If you are maternal, you are like a mother. How you define what it is to be “like a mother” is up to you, but most people think of nurturing things like chicken soup and kisses on the forehead. The adjective maternal comes from the Latin maternus, which means “of a mother.” Many traits are labeled as maternal, including physical traits that are genetically passed on from the mother — like being color blind. A woman’s desire to have a child is called her “maternal instinct,” and if you care for other people in a nurturing way you are being maternal, even if you are not a mother. Your mother’s mother is your “maternal grandmother.”
Vocabulary lists containing maternal
It's All in the Family
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May Vocabulary Words
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "M"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In 1998, scientific analysis of a DNA sample from Dorothy’s maternal uncle confirmed that her third great-grandfather, Eston, was Jefferson’s youngest child by Hemings.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
However, scientists did not know whether the brain effects caused by maternal inflammation could still be altered in adulthood.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026
Bendall, who is a maternal foetal medicine specialist and obstetrician, said such a pregnancy was very high-risk, with the hospital admitting Na'amoana as an inpatient at 25 weeks so she could be monitored.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
When the family pulled her maternal grandmother, Mary Ann, from assisted living during the pandemic, Schiller became her primary caregiver.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
He blames Caroline for starting it, even though the raising of the issue was the fault of his maternal grandmother.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
