Meaning
paternal, father's, fatherly
In a sentence
Ho sempre cercato l'approvazione paterna fin da piccolo.
I have always sought paternal approval since I was little.
Hai ancora contatti con i nonni paterni?
Are you still in touch with your paternal grandparents?
Il suo tono paterno non mi dà fastidio.
His fatherly tone doesn't bother me.
Word forms (4)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| paterno | masculine · singular |
| paterna | feminine · singular |
| paterni | masculine · plural |
| paterne | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Usually appears after a noun in fixed expressions: lato paterno, nonno paterno, cognome paterno.
- Use paterno for family relation or legal/genealogical context; use da padre or affettuoso for a fatherly attitude.
- It agrees normally: paterno, paterna, paterni, paterne.