paternal

comparative more paternal · superlative most paternal · alternative obsolete paternall

1. Of or pertaining to one's father, his genes, his relatives, or his side of a family.

   paternal grandfather

   2 more examples

   It was with a natural touch of pride that Norbourne Courtenaye paced his paternal hall, while waiting for his uncle, with whom he was going to ride.

   1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Different Views of Youth and Age”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 93

   The eldest son was usually given the name of his paternal grandfather, later children those of other relatives.

   1945, E[lizabeth] G[idley] Withycombe, “Introduction”, in The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page xiii

   1. Fatherly; behaving as or characteristic of a father.
   2. Received or inherited from one's father.

      Thus, ere the ſeeds of vice were ſown, / Liv'd men in better ages born, / Who plow'd with oxen of their own / Their ſmall paternal field of corn.

      a. 1701 (date written), John Dryden, “The Second Epode of Horace”, in The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, […], volume II, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, […], published 1760, →OCLC, page 477

   3. Acting as a father.

plural paternals · alternative obsolete paternall

1. rareA person related through the father, or his side of the family; a paternal relative.

   Well, actually, that ain't "Mother, Father". "To the maternals, to the paternals." or "From the maternals, from the paternals.".

   1998 April 23, John W Kennedy, “The Corps is Mother, the Corps is Father ( *Spoilers* )”, in rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated (Usenet), archived from the original on 09 Dec 2025

   5 more examples

   Divide what? The estate that came from the father to the son. Amongst whom? The paternal brothers. If it means, that paternals and maternals shall now divide, as paternals formerly did, the whole sentence operates nothing; for without, the half blood on both sides, would have taken. But say it establishes a well-known standard to divide by, and that this standard excludes the maternals, then every word, as well as this word "only," has a material effect and energy.

   1826 January, John Haywood, Judge of the Tennessee Supreme Court, “Jane C. Butler v. James M. King”, in George S. Yerger, William Frierson Cooper, editors, Tennessee Reports. Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Supreme Court of Tennessee, new edition, volume II, St. Louis, Mo.: G. I. Jones and Company, published 1876, →OCLC, page 109

   If there are both paternal and maternal uncles and aunts, the maternals take a third, even if there is only one of them, and whether male or female, and the paternals two-thirds, even though there is only one of them, and whether male or female. If the maternals are of one kind, a male has the portion of two females.

   1869, Neil B[enjamin] E[dmonstone] Baillie, “Of Inheritance by ‘Nusub’ or Consanguinity”, in A Digest of Moohummudan Law on the Subjects to which It is Usually Applied by British Courts of Justice in India. Compiled and Translated from Authorities in the Original Arabic, part 2nd (Containing the Doctrine of the Imameea Code of Jurisprudence […]), London: Smith Elder and Co., […], →OCLC, page 286

   Being a stepparent, -grandparent is a tough job that not everyone can do, but obviously the paternals think they're special and love them regardless fo^([sic]) whether they fit in or not. It's out of respect for that position as well as respect for your paternals that you should do this. IMagine^([sic]) how hurt your paternals might feel if you didn't see fit to include their loved one in such a way that seems insignificant to you, but can mean the world to them.

   1997 October 15, Susan Rankin, “Need Advice!”, in alt.wedding (Usenet), archived from the original on 09 Dec 2025

   Personally I think one should be consistent. If one decides to use 'av' as the truncated root, one should make up 'avcxjo' and 'avnjo'. If one decides to start from 'avi[n]', one should then make up 'avicxjo' and 'avinjo'. Of course it is quite possible to use one set for the paternals and the other for the maternals.

   1998 March 29, Manuel M Campagna, “Eurolang (was: ESPERANTO)”, in soc.culture.esperanto (Usenet), archived from the original on 09 Dec 2025

   Well, see, that's what I meant -- it's not really about physical distance -- it's emotional distance. My nephew and nieces hardly knew their maternal grandparents. Room would have been made for my parents of course. The paternals were gracious, caring people.

   2001 May 27, GOtterBMe, “Is there a time when you give up on your relatives?”, in alt.support.attn-deficit (Usenet), archived from the original on 09 Dec 2025