paternal
gb/pətˈɚnəl/ us/pətˈɚnəl/
B2
Inglés
~ 7800
Acepciones
0 acepciones
adjective
formal
B2
relation
1
relating to a father or fatherhood
Connected with a father or with being a father.
Patrón de uso:
paternal [noun]
Error frecuente:
Learners often confuse “paternal” with “paternity” and “parental.” “Paternal” is an adjective (paternal rights, paternal leave), while “paternity” is a noun (paternity test). “Parental” refers to parents in general, not specifically to fathers. Some learners also use “paternal” where “fatherly” is more natural in emotional, everyday contexts (e.g., “a fatherly smile” is more common than “a paternal smile”).
Sinónimos
fatherly (More emotional and everyday; focuses on warm feelings and behavior rather than legal or formal status.)
|
parental (Gender‑neutral; refers to either parent and is often more general than specifically ‘paternal’.)
Antónimos
maternal (Describes things related to a mother or motherhood instead of a father or fatherhood.)
Colocaciones
paternal leave
|paternal love
|paternal authority
|paternal responsibility
|paternal role
Temas
family
|relationships
|law
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- The company introduced generous paternal leave for new fathers.
- He struggled with the legal responsibilities that came with his new paternal status.
- Her research focuses on the effects of advanced paternal age on child health.
- The court had to decide whether his paternal rights had been violated.
- Paternal love can look different from person to person, but it is often deeply protective.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- He is very proud of his new paternal role.
- The law talks about both maternal and paternal rights.
- Many countries now offer paternal leave after a baby is born.
- Paternal love is very important for a child.
- The doctor asked about the father’s paternal medical history.
adjective
formal
C1
relation
2
from or on the father’s side
From the father’s side of the family, or passed down from the father.
Patrón de uso:
paternal [relative]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes confuse “paternal” and “maternal” when talking about relatives, saying *“my maternal grandmother on my father’s side.”* Use “paternal” for the father’s side and “maternal” for the mother’s side. Another mistake is using a longer phrase like *“my father side grandmother”* instead of the natural “my paternal grandmother” or “my grandmother on my father’s side.”
Sinónimos
father’s-side (Informal descriptive phrase; more natural in speech but less compact than the single adjective “paternal.”)
Antónimos
maternal (Refers to the mother’s side of the family or what is inherited from the mother, not the father.)
Colocaciones
paternal grandmother
|paternal grandparents
|paternal side
|paternal line
|paternal ancestry
Temas
family
|genealogy
|biology
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- Her paternal grandmother lived with them for many years.
- Most of his traits are said to come from his paternal side.
- They traced the title through the paternal line back to the 18th century.
- Genetic tests confirmed a mutation on the paternal chromosome.
- He has dual citizenship through his paternal ancestry.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- My paternal grandparents live in another country.
- She looks more like her paternal family.
- We visited my paternal uncle last weekend.
- The disease comes from the paternal side of the family.
- He is very close to his paternal grandmother.
adjective
C1
property
3
kind and protective like a father
Acting in a kind and protective way like a father, even if the person is not a real father.
Patrón de uso:
paternal [attitude/behavior/gesture]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes assume “paternal” can only describe real fathers. It can also describe any father‑like behavior, especially in formal writing. In many everyday situations, “fatherly” sounds more natural than “paternal” when you are emphasizing emotion rather than formality.
Sinónimos
fatherly (More common and less formal in everyday speech; strongly suggests warmth and affection.)
|
protective (Focuses on guarding someone from harm; does not necessarily suggest a father‑like role.)
Antónimos
indifferent (Describes a lack of care or interest, which is the opposite of a warm paternal attitude.)
Colocaciones
paternal instinct
|paternal concern
|paternal attitude
|paternal figure
|paternal guidance
Temas
relationships
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- He felt a strong paternal instinct toward the younger members of the team.
- Her boss’s paternal attitude sometimes made her feel more like a daughter than an employee.
- The coach took a quietly paternal role with the new players.
- His paternal concern for the students went far beyond his formal duties.
- Although he had no children, there was something deeply paternal in the way he looked after his neighbors.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- He has a very paternal way of talking to the students.
- I felt his paternal care when he helped me move house.
- The teacher showed a paternal concern for the children.
- She sees him as a paternal figure in her life.
- His paternal instinct made him want to protect the child.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
paternal
AFI
GB/pətˈɚnəl/
US/pətˈɚnəl/
Sílabas y acento
pa - ternal (2 sílabas)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ternal)
Formas de la palabra
Adjective
- Base: paternal
Familia de palabras
Core family
father
noun A1
paternity
noun
Advanced or less common
paternalism
noun
paternalistic
adjective C1
Expresiones
paternal figure
1/pətˈɚnəl fˈɪɡjɚ/
fixed phrase
person who plays a father-like role
Someone who is not your real father but cares for you and guides you like a father.
Ejemplos
- After his father died, his uncle became a paternal figure to him.
- She saw her teacher as a paternal figure during her teenage years.
paternal grandmother
1/pətˈɚnəl ɡɹˈændmˌʌðɚ/
fixed phrase
formal
grandmother on the father’s side
Your father’s mother.
Ejemplos
- My paternal grandmother taught me how to cook.
- Her paternal grandmother moved to the city when she was young.
paternal grandparents
1/pətˈɚnəl ɡɹˈændpˌɛɹənts/
fixed phrase
formal
grandparents on father’s side
Your father’s parents.
Ejemplos
- I spent every summer with my paternal grandparents.
- Both of his paternal grandparents were born overseas.
paternal instinct
1/pətˈɚnəl ˈɪnstɪŋkt/
fixed phrase
natural fatherly desire to care
A strong natural feeling in a man that makes him want to protect and care for a child like a father.
Ejemplos
- He said his paternal instinct surprised him when his son was born.
- Her brother’s paternal instinct came out when he held the baby.
paternal leave
1/pətˈɚnəl lˈiv/
fixed phrase
formal
work leave for new fathers
Time away from work that a father is allowed to take after a baby is born or adopted.
Ejemplos
- He took two weeks of paternal leave when his daughter was born.
- The new policy extends paternal leave to part‑time workers.
paternal line
1/pətˈɚnəl lˈaɪn/
fixed phrase
formal
family line through the father
The line of your family that is followed from father to child over many generations.
Ejemplos
- In that culture, names are passed down through the paternal line.
- They traced the paternal line back several centuries.
paternal love
1/pətˈɚnəl lˈʌv/
fixed phrase
love from a father to a child
The special kind of love that a father has for his child.
Ejemplos
- The film explores paternal love in difficult circumstances.
- Paternal love can be shown in many different ways.
paternal side (of the family)
1/pətˈɚnəl sˈaɪd əv ðə fˈæmɪli/
fixed phrase
formal
relatives on the father’s side
The part of your family that is related to you through your father.
Ejemplos
- Most of my paternal side of the family still lives in the same village.
- She looks a lot like the women on her paternal side.