maternal

Meanings

Adjective

• Of or pertaining to a mother; having the characteristics of a mother; motherly.
• Related through the mother, or her side of the family.
• Derived from the mother as opposed to the foetus during pregnancy.

Noun

• A mother.
• A person related through the mother, or her side of the family; a maternal relative.

Origin

• . Māternus is derived from māter (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *méh₂tēr) + -rnus. The English word is cognate with Italian maternale, materno, Portuguese maternal, materno, Spanish maternal, materno.
• The noun is derived from the adjective.