paternal

adjective

pa·​ter·​nal pə-ˈtər-nᵊl 

1

a

: of or relating to a father

offered his children some paternal advice

paternal responsibilities

b

: like that of a father

paternal benevolence

2

: received or inherited from one's male parent

lived and worked on his paternal farm

3

: related through one's father

paternal grandfather

paternally

pə-ˈtər-nᵊl-ē 

adverb

Examples of paternal in a Sentence

He did not neglect his paternal responsibilities after the divorce.

Recent Examples on the Web

About Kafka’s artistic liberation from paternal authority, it is produced by and stars the most transformative tenor of our time, Timur. — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026

Among them is his paternal grandfather, Max Moritz, who fought for Germany in the First World War, only to be later murdered by Nazis at Dachau. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026

The history between these men is more noxious than your garden-variety case of paternal neglect — there’s been emotional and physical abuse. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026

But without a paternal DNA source, an identification could not be made. — Kerry Breen, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin paternalis, from Latin paternus paternal, from pater

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for paternal

• diurnal
• eternal
• external
• fraternal
• infernal
• internal
• maternal
• nocturnal
• pimpernel
• colonel
• journal
• kernel

Kids Definition

paternal

adjective

pa·​ter·​nal pə-ˈtərn-ᵊl 

1

: fatherly

paternal advice

2

: received or inherited from one's father

3

: related through the father

a paternal grandfather

paternally

-ᵊl-ē 

adverb

Etymology

from Latin paternalis "fatherly," from earlier paternus (same meaning), from pater "father" — related to padre, patron, pattern