WordWeb Online

1. Belonging to or inherited from one's father
   "spent his childhood on the paternal farm"; "paternal traits"
    
2. Characteristic of a father
    
3. Relating to or characteristic of or befitting a parent
   "paternal guidance"
   - parental, maternal
    
4. Related on the father's side
   "a paternal aunt"
   - agnate, agnatic

See also: father, fatherlike, fatherliness, fatherly, paternal quality, paternalistic, paternally, paternity, patriarchal, related

Antonym: maternal

Encyclopedia: Paternal