having feelings that are typical of a caring mother towards a child 母亲的；母亲般慈爱的 connected with being a mother 母亲的；作为母亲的 Maternal age affects the baby's survival rate. 母亲的年龄影响婴儿的成活率。 the effects of maternal smoking during pregnancy 怀孕期间母亲吸烟的影响
- [only before noun]
related through the mother’s side of the family 母系的；母亲方面的 my maternal grandfather (= my mother’s father) 我的外祖父
Word Originlate 15th cent.: from French maternel, from Latin maternus, from mater ‘mother’.