parental

[puh-ren-tl]

adjective

1. of or relating to a parent.

2. proper to or characteristic of a parent.

   parental feelings.

3. having the relation of a parent

4. Genetics.,  pertaining to the sequence of generations preceding the filial generation, each generation being designated by a P followed by a subscript number indicating its place in the sequence.

noun

1. Also called parental unit. Informal.,  one's parent.

   I'm headed for a vacation with the parentals.

Other Word Forms

• parentally adverb
• interparental adjective
• nonparental adjective
• nonparentally adverb
• postparental adjective
• unparental adjective
• unparentally adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of parental¹

First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin parentālis “of, belonging to parents,” equivalent to parent- “parent” + -ālis adjective suffix; parent, -al ¹

Example Sentences

The study itself states that its purpose was “to measure parental beliefs and not to measure their accuracy.”

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The company said it had strengthened its parental controls, while California has enacted legislation regulating chatbots.

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On Thursday, the juvenile court of nearby Aquila suspended the couple's parental responsibility and ordered the transfer of the children to a protective home with their mother.

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It advocated for universal child care and paid leave for medical and parental needs—issues still debated.

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The agreement stipulated that he would have no parental or financial obligations to any children she might have in the event of divorce.

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Related Words

• fatherly 
• maternal 
• paternal