maternal quality
- noun
- /məˈtɜrnəl ˈkwɑləti/
:
cualidad maternal
- Using her maternal qualities of warmth and tenderness to her advantage, she offered her services to the queen as a nurse to her children.
Examples
-
It's hard to explain Margot's influence on me; she had a certain feminine, maternal quality.
Fiction book (2001) -
Her maternal quality made her an excellent caregiver for the children in her community.
-
The teacher's maternal quality helped create a nurturing environment in the classroom.
-
Everyone felt comforted by her maternal quality, which reminded them of their own mothers.
Synonyms
4
3.9
Warm, caring feelings and actions that a mother shows
A warm, gentle way of caring for others like a mother
A way of caring for and protecting others like a mother
Antonyms
How Maternal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is directly compositional: 'maternal' (motherly, caring) combined with 'quality' (a characteristic) yields 'a motherly characteristic' meaning warmth, tenderness, and affection. This adjective+noun pattern is a common, predictable construction in English (and in many other languages), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Maternal quality comes from the simple image of a maternal person giving a special quality of warm, gentle care and protection to a child. That's why maternal quality means 'warmth, tenderness, and care' like a mother's.