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.
Announcing the beginning of the review earlier this week, the Scottish government said it would look at inequalities such as the higher rates of maternal death among Black and Asian women.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
While maternal mortality review committees closely examine the deaths of mothers during the first year of a child's life, the researchers say paternal mortality has received little comparable attention.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
She started with her maternal grandmother and worked her way back through time using public archives in the Netherlands until she stumbled upon a painter she had never heard of: Jeremias Schultz.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
Suvorova’s story is not just about the childhood trauma inflicted by her mail-order-bride mother, but it’s a redemption story about reuniting with her beloved maternal Babushka and biological father.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
Sarai was the only one whose Mesarthim blood came from the maternal side.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
