parental meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

parental

adj

CA, US, UK /pəˈɹɛn.təl/ · AU, NZ /pəˈɹen.təl/

Etymology From Middle French parental, from Latin parentālis, from parens (“parent”).

Of or relating to a parent.

Befitting a parent; affectionate; tender.

Biology, Genetics, Medicine, Natural sciences, Sciences Of the generation of organisms that produce a hybrid.

This, following Bateson, we may call the parental generation or P generation. Subsequent generations are called filial generations (abbreviated F) and their numerical order is indicated by a subscript, [...]1916, William E. Castle, Gregor Mendel, Genetics & Eugenics, page 101:

Antonyms: filial
Derived terms: 34 terms
alloparental, bioparental, biparental, coparental, diparental, extraparental, filioparental, godparental, grandparental, heteroparental, interparental, monoparental, multiparental, nonparental, parental alienation, parental alienation syndrome, parental control, parental duty, parental figure, parental home, parentalism, parentality, parental leave, parental love, parentally, parental rights, parental unit, preparental, quasiparental, stepparental, tetraparental, triparental, uniparental, unparental
Related terms: paternal, maternal
Hypernyms: monoparental

noun

Etymology From Middle French parental, from Latin parentālis, from parens (“parent”).

A person fulfilling a parental role.

Nowadays there are all kinds of potential parentals besides parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, step-parents, in-laws, older siblings and cousins, and those in civil unions.