maternal

Language: en

🇬🇧 /məˈtɜːnəl/ 🇺🇸 /məˈtɜrnəl/

📖 Definitions

  1. adjective
    Relating to or characteristic of a mother or motherhood; having or showing qualities associated with being a mother, such as warmth, protectiveness, and nurturing.; Related through the mother's side of the family; on the mother's side.; Inherited or transmitted through the mother, as in genetics or biology.; Characteristic of or befitting a mother; motherly in manner or behavior.; Of or relating to pregnancy, childbirth, or the period following birth, especially in medical contexts.

🔗 Details

Word forms

Comparative: more maternal Superlative: most maternal

Collocations

maternal instinctmaternal lovematernal carematernal mortalitymaternal healthmaternal lineage

Derivatives

maternallymaternitymaternalismmaternalistic

Synonyms

motherlynurturingparentalmaternalistic

Antonyms

paternal

Commonly confused

paternal
EN: 'Paternal' relates to a father, while 'maternal' relates to a mother.
maternity
EN: 'Maternity' is a noun referring to the state of being a mother or services related to pregnancy, while 'maternal' is the adjective form.

Spelling tips

EN: No common spelling issues. Do not confuse 'maternal' (adjective) with 'maternity' (noun).

💬 Examples

  1. She felt a strong maternal instinct the moment she held her newborn baby.

  2. His maternal grandmother was born in Ireland.

  3. Mitochondrial DNA is passed down through the maternal line.

  4. The teacher gave the frightened child a maternal hug to calm him down.

  5. The hospital reported a significant decrease in maternal mortality rates over the past decade.