maternal
adjective/məˈtɜːnl/
/məˈtɜːrnl/
- having feelings that are typical of a caring mother towards a child
- maternal love
- I'm not very maternal.
- She didn't have any maternal instincts.
- connected with being a mother
- Maternal age affects the baby's survival rate.
- the effects of maternal smoking during pregnancy
- [only before noun] related through the mother’s side of the family
- my maternal grandfather (= my mother’s father)
Word Originlate 15th cent.: from French maternel, from Latin maternus, from mater ‘mother’.
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maternal