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
Examples of paternal in a Sentence
He did not neglect his paternal responsibilities after the divorce.
Recent Examples on the Web
The paternal instinct comes naturally for Hernández, who has taken the time off to enjoy his wife and his two children, including his son who was born in February.
—
Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
The child’s paternal grandmother, whom McElroy is close with, has temporary custody.
—Abigail Brooks, NBC news, 13 May 2026
Schmidt attributed his decision to run in a crowded Democratic primary to a sense of paternal responsibility.
—Matthew Kelly
may 8, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026
And for Curt Cignetti, that paternal rivalry (spoiler alert) might have felt somewhat close to real.
—Jason Kirk, New York Times, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for paternal
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Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
The child’s paternal grandmother, whom McElroy is close with, has temporary custody.
—Abigail Brooks, NBC news, 13 May 2026
Schmidt attributed his decision to run in a crowded Democratic primary to a sense of paternal responsibility.
—Matthew Kelly
may 8, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026
And for Curt Cignetti, that paternal rivalry (spoiler alert) might have felt somewhat close to real.
—Jason Kirk, New York Times, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for paternal
Cite this Entry
“Paternal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paternal. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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