What is the difference between Paternal and Maternal? - ProProfs Discuss
Advertisement

What is the difference between Paternal and Maternal?

What is the difference between Paternal and Maternal?

Change Image    Delete

Asked by Deborah , Last updated: Nov 20, 2024

+ Answer
Request
Question menu
Vote up Vote down

6 Answers

L. Agate

L. Agate

L. Agate
L. Agate

Answered Dec 11, 2020

When you are referring to anything that is “paternal,” this means that this is something that will relate to the father's side. For example, when you say that “She is my grandmother from the paternal side.” This means that you are referring to the mother of your father.

When you say “maternal,” this means that you are referring to the mother’s side of the family. When you say, “She is my grandmother from the maternal side.” You mean to say that she is the mother of your mother. There are some bonds that are formed that may be from the paternal side or the maternal side.

upvote downvote
Reply 

Noah

Noah

Driving down to Knowledge town

Noah
Noah , Chauffer, LA

Answered Nov 27, 2020

The term or word “paternal” is derived from the Latin word “pater,” which implies or means “father.” The added suffix “al” does mean “pertaining to.” Therefore, bringing the two Latin derivatives together; it means, pertaining to a father or pertaining to one’s father. While maternal, on the other hand, the word “maternal” was derived from the Latin word “mater,” which means “mother.” And as mentioned before, the suffix means “pertaining to.” So the word maternal simply means pertaining to a mother or pertaining to one’s mother. The understanding of this obviously reveals that the main difference between the word paternal and maternal is in reference to the gender being discussed. The word pater al and maternal are used to discuss bonds. This is because there are maternal and paternal bonds. Paternal bonds are used to refer to the bond between a child and his or her father, while the maternal bond, on the contrary, is used to depict the bond between a child and the mother.
upvote downvote
Reply 

Bart

Bart

Learning new things along with my music

Bart
Bart , Musician, BA, Lausanne

Answered Nov 18, 2020

“Paternal” will refer to anything that is related to the father's side of the person. “Maternal” will refer to anything that is related to the mother side of the person. For example, when you say, “He takes more of his paternal side’s looks.” This means that the person looks more like his family from the father's side as compared to the way that the family of his mother’s side looks like. Another example is when you say “maternal relatives,” you are referring to the relatives that you may have from your mom’s side of the family. In the same way that when you say “paternal relatives,” you are referring to the relatives from your dad’s side.
upvote downvote
Reply 

Charlie Rogers

Charlie Rogers

Management is the key to success

Charlie Rogers
Charlie Rogers, Manager, Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS), Lexington, Kentucky

Answered Jul 23, 2020

Maternal and Paternal are two terms that are related to family and are used in regards to a person's family tree. Maternal derives from the Latin word of mater and it means mother. Paternal derives from the Latin word of pater and it means father. These words can also be used to describe the character of someone.

For instance, a woman could be described as having maternal instincts, meaning they take on traits that a mother would have for their child, such as being caring and loving. In a family tree, the words could be used to differentiate between members. For example, your paternal grandmother would be your grandmother on your father's side.

upvote downvote
Reply 

F. Hope

F. Hope

F. Hope
F. Hope

Answered Jul 20, 2020

The main difference between paternal and maternal is the side where they are from. When you say the paternal side, this means that this comes from the father's side. When you say maternal, this means that this comes from the mother's side. Usually, people will have a favorite side depending on who they are closer to. For example, there are some people who are closer to the maternal side of their families while there are some who are closer to the paternal side of their families.it is recommended that people will feel close to both sides of their families so that they can continue to grow and develop.
upvote downvote
Reply 

Bergeront Tiffney

Bergeront Tiffney

Here for the daily dose of fresh knowledge

Bergeront Tiffney
Bergeront Tiffney, Computer Engineer, M. Tech, Southeast Montgomery

Answered Jul 13, 2020

One of the ways by which these two words ''Paternal and Maternal" can be differentiated is by looking at their etymology. Paternal and maternal come from the Latin words "pater" and "mater," and both mean father and mother, respectively. The suffix -al in the two words has always been used to transform nouns into their corresponding adjectives.

One of the ways by which these two words ''Paternal and Maternal
Since the word paternal comes from a Latin word 'pater' which means father, the addition of the adjectival suffix -al means it is referring to anything pertaining to one's father, his relatives, etc. For instance, you can use the paternal word bond when referring to the relationship between the father and his children. It can also be used to describe certain characteristics of a father. The same explanation goes for the word maternal, just that it is referring to anything pertaining to one's mother, her genes, relatives, etc. It can also be used to describe certain characteristics of a mother.

upvote downvote
Reply 

Advertisement
Advertisement
Search for Google images Google Image Icon
Select a recommended image
Upload from your computer Loader
Image Preview
Search for Google images Google Image Icon
Select a recommended image
Upload from your computer Loader
Image Preview
Search for Google images Google Image Icon
Select a recommended image
Upload from your computer Loader

Email Sent
We have sent an email to your address "" with instructions to reset your password.