| 释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024ma•ter•nal /məˈtɜrnəl/USA pronunciation adj. - of or relating to a mother:maternal instincts.
- related through a mother's side of the family:[before a noun]a maternal aunt.
ma•ter•nal•ly, adv. See -mater-. WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024ma•ter•nal (mə tûr′nl),USA pronunciation adj. - of, pertaining to, having the qualities of, or befitting a mother:maternal instincts.
- related through a mother:his maternal aunt.
- derived from a mother:maternal genes.
- Medieval Latin māternālis, equivalent. to Latin mātern(us) (māter mother + -nus adjective, adjectival suffix) + -ālis -al1
- 1475–85
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