EnglishMain Dictionary
paternal
Universal Words
adjective
1 connected with being a father; typical of a kind father:
paternal instincts / love * He gave me a piece of paternal advice.
2 related through the father's side of the family:
my paternal grandmother (= my father's mother)
paternally adverb:
He smiled paternally at them.
compareMATERNAL
