parental English · revision 39804

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1542, E. Gosynhyll, Prayse of all Women|origins=la parentālis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /pəˈɹɛn.təl/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|parentālis|t=of or belonging to parents]],^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966)^(MWU 2024) formed with the suffix [[m|la|-ālis]] on [[m|la|parēns|t=father or mother]],^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline) the source of [[parent]].^(Etymonline) The OED compares [[m|xno|parental]], [[m|frm|parental]] (1536, but rare before the 20th century), [[m|it|parentale]] and [[m|es|parental]];^(OED 2026) the Anglo-Norman Dictionary records ''parental'', of a parent, from 1372.^(AND) A short-lived English noun ''parental'', probably meaning parents or ancestors, is recorded once, in Fabyan's chronicle (a1513), probably from the post-classical Latin plural [[m|la-med|parentālia|t=family, kin]].^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of, belonging to or characteristic of a parent or parents; fatherly or motherly: 1542, in Edward Gosynhyll's ''Prayse of all Women''.^(OED 2026)^(HTOED) The Shorter Oxford dates it to the mid-16th century,^(SOED 2002) while Etymonline dates it to the 1620s and Dictionary.com to 1615–25.^(Etymonline)^(Dictionary.com 2016)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From 1647 the adjective was also used figuratively of something that is a source or origin, as a parent is.^(OED 2026)^(HTOED) Johnson (1755) defined it as becoming parents or pertaining to parents, quoting Sir Thomas Browne and William Derham on parental care among animals.^(Johnson 1755) In genetics the ''parental generation'' is the first generation in a line of breeding, from which the following, filial, generations descend.^(Collins 2023) Merriam-Webster also records a use for the source or original of something, such as a parent company or a parent compound in chemistry.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1372 – Anglo-Norman ''parental'', of a parent.^(AND)

+ * a1513 – noun ''parental'', probably ''parents, ancestors'' (obsolete).^(OED 2026)

+ * 1542 – of or belonging to a parent; fatherly or motherly.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1620s – Etymonline's date for the adjective.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1647 – being the source or origin of something.^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of, relating to or coming from a [[parent]] or parents: ''Children under twelve need parental consent to join the club.''^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # Like or proper to a parent; [[protective]] and caring.^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002)

+ # (genetics) Belonging to the first [[generation]] in a line of breeding, from which the [[filial]] generations descend.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[parentally]]

+ * [[biparental]]

+ * [[interparental]]

+ * [[nonparental]]

+ * [[preparental]]

+ * [[uniparental]]

+ * [[unparental]]

+ * [[parental home]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[parent]]

+ * [[parentage]]

+ * [[parenthood]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}