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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 older girl hides her face, but her sister keeps watching as a paternal figure explains the physics.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 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

Writing “Autobiography of Cotton” began with her desire to uncover the truth about her paternal grandparents, whose story she had only gathered bits and pieces of over the years.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

His paternal grandparents, Max and Minnie Moritz, were among swathes of relatives killed during the Holocaust.

From BBC • Mar. 2, 2026

At least that’s what she told his paternal grandfather, who is a terrible man—but that’s not a story of any importance here.

From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera




Vocabulary lists containing paternal