Maternal

Pronunciation: /məˈtɜːrnəl/

Maternal (adjective)

  1. showing care and love like a mother does.
  2. connected with being a mother or motherhood.
  3. related to your mother's family.

Examples

  • She showed maternal care for the injured bird.
  • His maternal instincts kicked in when the child cried.

Common collocations: maternal instinct, maternal affection, maternal bond, maternal health, maternal leave

Synonyms of Maternal

Formal

Neutral

Antonyms of Maternal

  • when discussing fatherly qualities