maternal
adjective
ma·ter·nal
mə-ˈtər-nᵊl 
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
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
Myers’ maternal half-brother is Quentin Grimes, who currently plays for the Philadelphia 76ers and spent part of the 2024-25 season with the Mavericks.
—
Lia Assimakopoulos, Dallas Morning News, 8 Mar. 2026
That infrastructure includes vaccination clinics, restaurant sanitation inspections, opioid response teams, school violence prevention, maternal health programs and disease surveillance systems, to name a few.
—Max Crowley, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2026
They have been associated with possible maternal benefits, including protection against certain cancers, scar healing, and more.
—Jennifer Byrne, Popular Science, 5 Mar. 2026
After humanity’s extinction, a strange woman (Hilary Swank) upends the life of a teenager raised in an austere postapocalyptic bunker under the care of a maternal robot voiced by Rose Byrne.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for maternal
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lia Assimakopoulos, Dallas Morning News, 8 Mar. 2026
That infrastructure includes vaccination clinics, restaurant sanitation inspections, opioid response teams, school violence prevention, maternal health programs and disease surveillance systems, to name a few.
—Max Crowley, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2026
They have been associated with possible maternal benefits, including protection against certain cancers, scar healing, and more.
—Jennifer Byrne, Popular Science, 5 Mar. 2026
After humanity’s extinction, a strange woman (Hilary Swank) upends the life of a teenager raised in an austere postapocalyptic bunker under the care of a maternal robot voiced by Rose Byrne.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for maternal
Cite this Entry
“Maternal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maternal. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
maternal
adjective
ma·ter·nal
mə-ˈtərn-ᵊl
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
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
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
