paternal: Meaning and Definition of

pa•ter•nal

Pronunciation: (pu-tûr'nl), [key]
  1. characteristic of or befitting a father; fatherly: a kind and paternal reprimand.
  2. of or pertaining to a father.
  3. related on the father's side: one's paternal grandfather.
  4. derived or inherited from a father: paternal traits.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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