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Maternal vs Gentle - What's the difference?

maternal | gentle | Related terms |

Maternal is a related term of gentle.


As adjectives the difference between maternal and gentle

is that maternal is of or pertaining to a mother; having the characteristics of a mother, motherly while gentle is tender and amiable; of a considerate or kindly disposition.

As a verb gentle is

to become gentle.

As a noun gentle is

(archaic) a person of high birth.

maternal

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Of or pertaining to a mother; having the characteristics of a mother, motherly.
    • His weakness seemed to bring out her maternal instincts.
  • Related through the mother, or her side of the family.
    • Toby is my maternal uncle.
  • (anatomy, medicine) Derived from the mother as opposed to the foetus during pregnancy.

    • Derived terms

    * maternal aunt * maternal cousin * maternal death * maternal grandfather * maternal grandmother * maternal uncle

    Antonyms

    * paternal – father

    Coordinate terms

    * avuncular – uncle * materteral – aunt * paternal – father

    gentle

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Tender and amiable; of a considerate or kindly disposition.
  • Soft and mild rather than hard or severe.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham)
    • , title=(The China Governess) , chapter=3 citation , passage=Here the stripped panelling was warmly gold and the pictures, mostly of the English school, were mellow and gentle in the afternoon light.}}
  • Docile and easily managed.
    • a gentle horse
  • Gradual rather than steep or sudden.
  • Polite and respectful rather than rude.
  • (archaic) Well-born; of a good family or respectable birth, though not noble.
  • * Johnson's Cyc.
    • British society is divided into nobility, gentry, and yeomanry, and families are either noble, gentle , or simple.
  • * Milton
    • the studies wherein our noble and gentle youth ought to bestow their time

    Synonyms

    * (polite) friendly, kind, polite, respectful

    Antonyms

    * (polite) rude

    Derived terms

    * gentle craft * gentleness * gentleman * gentlewoman * gently

    Verb

    (gentl)
  • to become gentle (rfex)
  • to ennoble (rfex)
  • (animal husbandry) to break; to tame; to domesticate (rfex)
  • To soothe; to calm. (rfex)

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • (archaic) A person of high birth.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Gentles , methinks you frown.
  • (archaic) A maggot used as bait by anglers (rfex)
  • A trained falcon, or falcon-gentil.