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parental

adj. · n.
US //pɝˈɛntəɫ// UK //pəɹˈɛntəl// parental
  1. 1 relating to parents (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    relating to a parent or the role of being a parent.

    pertaining to or characteristic of a parent. Often used in formal or legal contexts to describe rights, responsibilities, or biological origin.

    Example

    The school requires parental consent before students can go on the field trip.

    Example

    The court's primary concern was the child's welfare, leading to a strict evaluation of both parties' parental fitness during the custody hearing.
    • filial
  2. 2 affectionate (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    acting like a kind parent by being caring and protective.

    befitting a parent; expressing the tenderness, affection, or protective nature associated with parenthood.

    Example

    He felt a parental urge to protect his younger colleagues from the difficult manager.

    Example

    She watched over her students with a parental eye, ensuring they felt supported through the stresses of their final examinations.
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  1. 3 biological origin (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Science

    relating to the original plants or animals that produce a new generation.

    relating to the generation of organisms that produce a hybrid or offspring. Used specifically to distinguish the original pair from the resulting generations.

    Example

    The parental plants both had red flowers, but the offspring were pink.

    Example

    In genetic experiments, the parental generation is crossed to observe how specific traits are inherited by the subsequent filial generations.
  2. 4 a person in a parent role (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Academic Formal

    a person who acts as a parent, even if they are not the biological mother or father.

    a person fulfilling a parental role or function. This usage is less common than the adjective form and often appears in sociological or psychological texts.

    Example

    The study looked at how the presence of a stable parental affects a child's development.

    Example

    The researcher argued that any consistent parental, regardless of biological relation, provides the necessary emotional scaffolding for a toddler's growth.
Origin

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

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