adj. 1. Relating to or characteristic of a father or fatherhood; fatherly. 2. Received or inherited from a father: a paternal trait. 3. Related through one's father: my paternal aunt. [Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin paternālis, from Latin paternus, from pater, father; see pəter- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] pa·ternal·ly adv. |
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