maternal

About 12.20 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. adjective Of or pertaining to a mother; having the characteristics of a mother; motherly.

   His weakness seemed to bring out her maternal instincts.

2. adjective Related through the mother, or her side of the family.

   Toby is my maternal uncle.

3. adjective Derived from the mother as opposed to the foetus during pregnancy.
4. noun A mother.
5. noun A person related through the mother, or her side of the family; a maternal relative.

Similar words

motherlike maternalistic motherly parental enate enatic paternal related motherhood maternity

Often followed by

and mortality grandfather uncle blood grandmother age behavior care love

Word family

maternally