maternal
gb/mətˈɚnəl/ us/mətˈɚnəl/
B2
English
~ 7900
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
relating to a mother or motherhood
About a mother, or like the way a good mother feels and acts toward her child.
Usage pattern:
be [maternal] toward [someone]; [maternal] [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "maternal" with "maternity." Use "maternal" to describe qualities, feelings, or roles of a mother (maternal love, maternal instinct) and "maternity" mainly for the state of being pregnant or a mother, or related services (maternity leave, maternity clothes). Learners also sometimes say *"motheral"* instead of "maternal," which is incorrect.
Synonyms
motherly (Very close in meaning; slightly more informal and emotional than "maternal".)
|
nurturing (Focuses more on caring and supporting growth, not always specifically as a mother.)
Antonyms
paternal (Describes things related to a father rather than a mother.)
|
cold (Describes someone who does not show the warm, caring feelings often linked with maternal behavior.)
Collocations
maternal instinct
|maternal love
|maternal role
|maternal bond
|maternal feelings
|maternal affection
Themes
family
|emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She felt a strong maternal instinct as soon as she held the baby.
- His aunt took on a maternal role after his parents moved abroad.
- The teacher has a very maternal attitude toward her youngest students.
- Her maternal feelings surprised her; she had never liked children before.
- He remembers his grandmother as a calm, maternal presence in his life.
Learner examples
- She is very kind and maternal with her little brother.
- The woman felt a strong maternal love for her new baby.
- My older sister is not a mother, but she is very maternal.
- The nurse spoke in a soft, maternal voice.
- He missed the warm, maternal care of his mother.
adjective
B2
relation
2
on the mother's side of the family
From your mother’s side of the family.
Usage pattern:
[maternal] [family-member noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "mother" as an adjective and say *"my mother grandmother"* instead of "my maternal grandmother." They may also confuse "maternal" and "paternal"; remember that "maternal" = mother’s side, "paternal" = father’s side.
Synonyms
mother's-side (Informal descriptive phrase; less standard and less common than the single word "maternal.")
Antonyms
paternal (Refers to the father’s side of the family instead of the mother’s.)
Collocations
maternal grandmother
|maternal grandfather
|maternal uncle
|maternal aunt
|maternal lineage
|maternal side
Themes
family
|genealogy
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her maternal grandmother taught her to speak Spanish.
- He inherited his dark eyes from his maternal side.
- Both of his maternal uncles live in Canada.
- She is researching her maternal lineage for a family history project.
- My maternal grandfather died before I was born.
Learner examples
- My maternal grandfather lives with us.
- I look like my maternal aunt.
- His maternal side of the family is very large.
- Her maternal grandmother comes from India.
- We visited my maternal uncles last summer.
adjective
technical
C1
property
3
relating to mothers in pregnancy or childbirth
About a woman’s health or condition when she is pregnant, giving birth, or has just had a baby.
Usage pattern:
[maternal] [medical/health noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "maternal" in medical news always means "kind like a mother." In medical or public‑health contexts, it usually refers to the health or condition of women as mothers (for example, maternal mortality = deaths of women during pregnancy or shortly after), not to emotional qualities.
Synonyms
obstetric (More strictly medical; used mainly in professional contexts about pregnancy and childbirth care.)
|
prenatal (Focuses specifically on the period before birth, while "maternal" can include pregnancy, birth, and the time just after.)
Antonyms
neonatal (Shifts focus from the mother's health to the newborn baby's health; not a strict logical opposite but often contrasted in medical contexts.)
Collocations
maternal health
|maternal mortality
|maternal age
|maternal care
|maternal outcomes
|maternal complications
Themes
medicine
|health
|family
|body
Examples
- The government launched a program to improve maternal health in rural areas.
- Advanced maternal age can increase certain pregnancy risks.
- Maternal mortality rates have fallen over the last decade in many countries.
- The clinic specializes in maternal care during high-risk pregnancies.
- Researchers are studying how stress affects maternal outcomes.
Learner examples
- Good maternal health is important for the baby.
- Doctors are worried about high maternal mortality in this region.
- Advanced maternal age can make pregnancy more difficult.
- The hospital offers special maternal care for pregnant women.
- They collect data on maternal health every year.
Grammar
Dictionary form
maternal
IPA
GB/mətˈɚnəl/
US/mətˈɚnəl/
Syllables & stress
ma - ter - nal (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ter)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: maternal
Word family
Expressions
maternal age
1/mətˈɚnəl ˈeɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
technical
the age of a mother at birth
How old a woman is when she gives birth to a baby.
Examples
- Average maternal age has increased in many countries.
- Doctors explained how advanced maternal age can affect pregnancy risks.
- Researchers studied the link between maternal age and birth outcomes.
maternal grandmother
1/mətˈɚnəl ɡɹˈændmˌʌðɚ/
fixed phrase
your mother's mother
Your mother’s mother.
Examples
- My maternal grandmother still lives in the village where she was born.
- Her maternal grandmother taught her many traditional recipes.
- He was raised mainly by his maternal grandmother.
maternal health
1/mətˈɚnəl hˈɛlθ/
fixed phrase
technical
health of pregnant and new mothers
The health of women when they are pregnant, giving birth, or have just had a baby.
Examples
- The organization works to improve maternal health in low-income communities.
- Better access to clinics has led to improved maternal health outcomes.
- Maternal health is a key focus of the new public‑health policy.
maternal love
1/mətˈɚnəl lˈʌv/
fixed phrase
a mother's love for her child
The strong, deep love that a mother feels for her child.
Examples
- The film explores the power of maternal love in difficult times.
- She wrote a poem about the maternal love she feels for her son.
- Maternal love can be both protective and demanding.
maternal instinct
1/mətˈɚnəl ˈɪnstɪŋkt/
fixed phrase
a mother's natural drive to care
A strong natural feeling that makes a woman want to protect and care for her child.
Examples
- Her maternal instinct told her that something was wrong with the baby.
- She felt her maternal instinct kick in as soon as she heard the baby cry.
- She felt her maternal instinct grow stronger after giving birth.
- Even before giving birth, she talked about a maternal instinct she couldn’t ignore.
- His decision to adopt came from a deep paternal, almost maternal instinct to care for children.
maternal mortality
1/mətˈɚnəl mɔɹtˈæləti/
fixed phrase
technical
deaths of women in pregnancy or childbirth
The number of women who die while they are pregnant, during birth, or soon after giving birth.
Examples
- Access to skilled midwives can greatly reduce maternal mortality.
- The country has made progress in reducing maternal mortality.
- The report highlights racial differences in maternal mortality.
- High maternal mortality is often linked to poor access to medical care.
- Maternal mortality is often higher in areas without emergency medical care.
- Reports show a worrying rise in maternal mortality in conflict areas.