| paternal | relating to or characteristic of or befitting a parent |
|---|---|
| paternal | characteristic of a father |
| paternal | related on the father's side |
| paternal | belonging to or inherited from one's father |
| paternal | the benignity and protectiveness of or befitting a father |
| paternal | the attitude (of a person or a government) that subordinates should be controlled in a fatherly way for their own good |
| paternal | benevolent but sometimes intrusive |
| paternal | in a paternal manner |