parental

American

[puh-ren-tl] / pəˈrɛn tl /

adjective

of or relating to a parent.
proper to or characteristic of a parent.

parental feelings.
having the relation of a parent
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

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

I'm headed for a vacation with the parentals.

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of parental

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

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.

Some are hopeful that the changes will help prevent cases of parental abduction, which have come into the spotlight in recent years - especially after allegations made by foreigners with Japanese ex-spouses.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

“For younger or beginner investors, having parental visibility or approval can be helpful in guiding decision-making and reinforcing good habits,” Tobin said.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

Congress for years has debated legislation to protect teens online, including stronger parental controls and privacy settings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

But the reach of this new parental right remains unclear.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

“The hybrid character” was not intermediate but “resembled one of the parental forms,” he wrote.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023