maternal

adjective

ma·​ter·​nal mə-ˈtər-nᵊl How to pronounce maternal (audio)
1
: of, relating to, belonging to, or characteristic of a mother : motherly
maternal love
maternal instincts
2
a
: related through a mother
his maternal aunt
b
: inherited or derived from the female parent
maternal genes
maternally adverb

Examples of maternal in a Sentence

Doctors are concerned about the effects of the drug on maternal health. her maternal instincts told her that something was wrong
Recent Examples on the Web Birth spacing helps to improve maternal health outcomes as becoming pregnant too soon after giving birth increases the risk of complications. Adie Vanessa Offiong, CNN, 29 Nov. 2023 The award to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the Community Health Centers of Arkansas was part of $80.5 million worth of funding announced by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute for research aimed at improving maternal health. My Ly, arkansasonline.com, 29 Nov. 2023 Warwick comes from a musical family, maternal cousins with legendary opera soprano Leontyne Price and pop legend Whitney Houston, the daughter of soul and gospel singer Cissy Houston. Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 28 Nov. 2023 In 2021, the latest year for which data is available, 1,205 women died of maternal causes in the U.S. with a rate of 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births -- up from a rate of 23.8 in 2020 and 20.1 in 2019, according to CDC data. Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 28 Nov. 2023 There are three Native American reservations around Bemidji, where women are particularly vulnerable to maternal mortality and pregnancy complications. Sarah Maddox, CBS News, 27 Nov. 2023 The cranberry is a diploid, which means that each cell contains one set of chromosomes from the maternal parent and one set from the paternal parent. Serina Desalvio, Discover Magazine, 18 Nov. 2023 In the video, Murphy highlights her efforts as first lady to reduce maternal mortality in the Garden State and to include climate change education in school curriculum. Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 16 Nov. 2023 Black women have maternal mortality rates roughly three times those of white women in the United States. Nbc Universal, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'maternal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French maternel, from Medieval Latin maternalis, from Latin maternus, from mater mother — more at mother

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of maternal was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near maternal

Cite this Entry

“Maternal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maternal. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

maternal

adjective
ma·​ter·​nal mə-ˈtərn-ᵊl How to pronounce maternal (audio)
1
: of or relating to a mother : motherly
2
a
: related through a mother
maternal grandparents
b
: obtained or received from a female parent
maternal chromosomes
maternally adverb
Etymology

Middle English maternal "maternal, of or like a mother," from early French maternel (same meaning), from Latin maternus "maternal," from mater "mother" — related to alma mater

Medical Definition

maternal

adjective
ma·​ter·​nal mə-ˈtərn-ᵊl How to pronounce maternal (audio)
1
: of, relating to, belonging to, or characteristic of a mother
maternal instinct
2
a
: related through a mother
his maternal aunt
b
: inherited or derived from the female parent
maternal genes
maternally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on maternal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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