paternalistic
adjEtymology From paternal + -istic.
1
the quality of being paternal, i.e. like a father, e.g. characterized by behaving in a benevolent yet intrusive manner towards underlings
2
of, pertaining to, characteristic of or practicing paternalism
- With a scanty supply of laws in Hellenic commonwealths or city states what an immense vista for an Aristotle, of that grand, complex, efficient machinery of law, turning out yearly thousands of laws and taboos for the paternalistic control and alleged welfare of the citizen!1919, Boris Sidis, The Source and Aim of Human Progress:
- Derived terms
- antipaternalistic, overpaternalistic, paternalistically