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Definitions

paternal

[puh-tur-nl] / pəˈtɜr nl /


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The parents of Child C, who described their son as a "sunny child", said Bennett had "seemed clumsy but very paternal", which was something they initially liked.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

Like me, my paternal grandfather and my father also held decent white-collar jobs throughout their working lives and invested in the the stock market.

From Barron's • Mar. 14, 2026

Sam Dalrymple has real Raj pedigree, his paternal grandfather being Hew Hamilton-Dalrymple, the aide-de-camp to Frank Messervy, the first commander in chief of the army of independent Pakistan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

The others are the author’s paternal grandparents, José María and Petra Peña.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

Brotherly protectiveness mixed with financial and paternal pain in Milton’s heaving breast.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides




Vocabulary lists containing paternal