Definition of maternal
1 : of, relating to, belonging to, or characteristic of a mother : motherly maternal love maternal instincts
2a : related through a mother his maternal auntb : inherited or derived from the female parent maternal genes
From the M-W Editors
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 of maternal from the Web
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Happy for all her maternal feelings was the day on which Mrs. Bennet got rid of her two most deserving daughters.
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When maternal milk isn't available, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization have recommended that donated breast milk be given to babies.
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When Ledecky touched more than 50 meters ahead of her nearest rival, Olmstead stood, clapped and cheered with maternal affection.
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People talk about becoming a mother and looking at their baby and feeling a rush of warm, fuzzy, maternal feelings.
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Evoking a looming creature out of a David Cronenberg flick, the da Vinci Surgical System stands in as mechanical Frankenstein and prosthetic appendage to the maternal figure who operates it but is never actually seen.
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What that means is that the poorest Haitian mothers are still far less likely to deliver in a health facility, and maternal and infant mortality rates are still four or five times higher many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
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The upstairs bedroom where the Bambino was born and other rooms in the Emory Street home of his maternal grandparents, the Schambergers, are furnished in period style.
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Dominick Wallace heard the stories of his maternal grandfather.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'maternal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of maternal
Middle English, from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French maternel, from Medieval Latin maternalis, from Latin maternus, from mater mother — more at mother
Other Genetics Terms
MATERNAL Defined for English Language Learners
maternal
playDefinition of maternal for English Language Learners
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: of or relating to a mother
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: of or relating to a woman who is having a baby
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: related through the mother
MATERNAL Defined for Kids
maternal
playDefinition of maternal for Students
1 : of or relating to a mother maternal instincts
2 : related through the mother maternal grandparents
maternally
adverbWord Root of maternal
The Latin word mater, meaning “mother,” gives us the root mater or matr. Anyone or anything maternal, such as a grandparent, is related through the mother's side of the family. Maternity is the state of being a mother. A matriarch is a woman who is the mother and head of a family. A matron is a married woman who may be a mother.
Medical Dictionary
Learn More about maternal
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See words that rhyme with maternal Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for maternal Spanish Central: Translation of maternal Nglish: Translation of maternal for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of maternal for Arabic speakers
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