maternal

形容词 maternal:

1. characteristic of a mother- Dorothy Sayers
2. relating to or derived from one's mother
3. relating to or characteristic of or befitting a parent
   同义词：parental, paternal
4. related on the mother's side
   同义词：enate, enatic

1. Your maternal instincts go deeper than you think.
   你的母性本能远比你想像的强。
2. On the maternal side his inheritance was a happy one.
   他从母方接受的遗传是良好的。
3. She feels very maternal towards him.
   她对他充满母爱。
4. My maternal grandfather is coming.
   我的外祖父要来了。

ma.ter.nal

adj.（形容词）
Relating to or characteristic of a mother or motherhood or motherly:
母性的，母亲的：母亲的或具有母亲特征的，母亲般的或母性的：
例句：
maternal instinct.
母性的本能

Inherited from one`s mother:
从母亲继承来的：
例句：
a maternal trait.
从母亲继承来的品性

Related through one`s mother:
母系的：
例句：
my maternal uncle.
我的舅舅

来源：
Middle English
中古英语
from Old French maternel
源自 古法语 maternel
from Medieval Latin m3tern3lis
源自 中世纪拉丁语 m3tern3lis
from Latin m3ternus
源自 拉丁语 m3ternus
from m3ter [mother] * see m3ter-
源自 m3ter [母亲] *参见 m3ter-

【引伸】
mater.nalism
n.（名词）
mater.nally
adv.（副词）