English–French

“maternal” in French

French

Pronunciation

IPA/matɛʁnɛl/

Example

Il a un côté maternel.

He has a maternal side.

Illustration for maternel (maternal)

How to say “maternal” in French

“Maternal” in French is maternel.

A protective, caring presence that watches over others with a mother's attentiveness.

Full entry for maternel: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with maternel

Elle montre un amour maternel pour son chien.

She shows maternal love for her dog.

Tips for using maternel

  • Maternel can describe a man, as in Il est maternel, while une maternelle commonly means a nursery school in educational contexts.

“maternal” in other languages