paternal

Adjective
Synonyms: parentalmaternalagnateagnatic

WordNet 3.0

Adjective (4)

  1. belonging to or inherited from one's father“spent his childhood on the paternal farm”“paternal traits”
  2. characteristic of a father
  3. relating to or characteristic of or befitting a parent“parental guidance”Synonyms: parentalmaternal
  4. related on the father's side“a paternal aunt”Synonyms: agnateagnatic
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Paternal \Pa*ter"nal\, a. [L. paternus, fr. pater a father: cf. F. paternel. See Father.]

1.Of or pertaining to a father; fatherly; showing the disposition of a father; guiding or instructing as a father; as, paternal care. "Under paternal rule." --Milton. [1913 Webster]

2.Received or derived from a father; hereditary; as, a paternal estate. [1913 Webster]

Their small paternal field of corn.— Dryden.[1913 Webster]

Paternal government (Polit. Science), the assumption by the governing power of a quasi-fatherly relation to the people, involving strict and intimate supervision of their business and social concerns, upon the theory that they are incapable of managing their own affairs. [1913 Webster]

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