adjective
- relating to or characteristic of a father
- inherited from or related through one’s father
- showing care and protection in a fatherly way
Examples
- He showed paternal pride when his daughter graduated.
- The paternal side of the family came from Ireland.
- My paternal grandfather was a doctor.
- She inherited her height from her paternal relatives.
- The teacher took a paternal interest in his struggling students.
- His paternal instincts kicked in when he held the baby.
- The paternal line can be traced back five generations.