What Does Paternal Mean?

It is a relation through the line of ones father. It refers to the relationship between a father and child or from the lineage of the father. It indicates anything belonging to or inherited from one's father. Paternal is an adjective form of pater which means father in Latin. It was incorporated into English in the medieval ages and is pronounced as puh-tur-nl.

Thus it denotes anything related to or pertaining to the father. It may be about relationships, qualities, characteristics or features both physical and mental. Then it is a term that describes traits derived from the father's side. Maternal is the term opposite to paternal and it means from the mother's side. Often the word paternal has associations with protectiveness, warmth and affection. It denotes fatherly qualities.

Paternal represents the male dominated society, in which a child, in a societal setting, needs to recognize himself through his father's name. For instance, he needs to fill his father's name in an application. He may also inherit any property only with his father's assent etc. The antonym to parental is maternal i.e. female dominated society.