# parental

/pɝˈɛntəɫ/ (US) · /pəɹˈɛntəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/parental
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. relating to parents

adjective · CEFR B2

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

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

- The school requires parental consent before students can go on the field trip.
- The court's primary concern was the child's welfare, leading to a strict evaluation of both parties' parental fitness during the custody hearing.

### 2. affectionate

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

acting like a kind parent by being caring and protective.

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

- He felt a parental urge to protect his younger colleagues from the difficult manager.
- She watched over her students with a parental eye, ensuring they felt supported through the stresses of their final examinations.

### 3. biological origin

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

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

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

- The parental plants both had red flowers, but the offspring were pink.
- In genetic experiments, the parental generation is crossed to observe how specific traits are inherited by the subsequent filial generations.

### 4. a person in a parent role

noun · CEFR C2 · Academic · Formal

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

For teachers: 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.

- The study looked at how the presence of a stable parental affects a child's development.
- The researcher argued that any consistent parental, regardless of biological relation, provides the necessary emotional scaffolding for a toddler's growth.

## Examples

- The school requires parental consent for the field trip.
- Effective parental guidance helps children navigate the challenges of social media and online safety.
- The study examines how parental expectations influence a student's academic performance and long-term career choices across different socio-economic backgrounds.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.