paternal

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   related on the father's side

   a paternal aunt

2. 2
   adj

   belonging to or inherited from one's father

   We spent our childhood on the paternal farm.

3. 3
   adj

   Of or pertaining to one's father, his genes, his relatives, or his side of a family.

   paternal grandfather

4. 4
   noun

   A person related through the father, or his side of the family; a paternal relative.

   Divide what? The estate that came from the father to the son. Amongst whom? The paternal brothers. If it means, that paternals and maternals shall now divide, as paternals formerly did, the whole sentence operates nothing; for without, the half blood on both sides, would have taken. But say it establishes a well-known standard to divide by, and that this standard excludes the maternals, then every word, as well as this word "only," has a material effect and energy.

5. 5
   adj

   relating to or characteristic of or befitting a parent

6. 6
   adj

   characteristic of a father

Etymology

From Old French paternal (“of a father”) (12th c.), from Vulgar Latin paternālis (“paternal”), from Latin paternus (“of or pertaining to a father, paternal”), from pater (“father”).