Word a Day
maternal
What does maternal mean?
maternal (adjective): of or pertaining to a mother; having the characteristics of a mother; motherly.
Definition: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
How do you use maternal in a sentence?
- His weakness seemed to bring out her maternal instincts. (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0)
How do you pronounce maternal?
/məˈtɝnəl/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.
Where does maternal come from?
The adjective is derived from Late Middle English maternal, maternall, from Middle French maternel (“maternal”) (Modern French maternel (“maternal; native”)), or from its etymon Late Latin māternālis (“maternal”).
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What are antonyms of maternal?
Words related to maternal
From Princeton WordNet 3.1.
Test yourself: do you know “maternal”?
Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.
What does “maternal” mean?
serving to hinder or oppose; adverse, disadvantageous, inconducive, unsuitable
Not quite: that's what unfavorable means.
of a man or boy: attractively manly, having a pleasing face and overall effect
Not quite: that's what handsome means.
of or pertaining to a mother; having the characteristics of a mother; motherly
Right! That's what “maternal” means.
without notice to prepare the mind for the event; sudden; hasty; unceremonious
Not quite: that's what abrupt means.
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