väterlicher

Vä terlicher is a German adjective form meaning fatherly or paternal. It derives from Vater (father) plus the suffix -lich, which is used to form adjectives indicating a characteristic or belonging. In standard German, väterlich describes qualities associated with a father or a fatherly attitude, such as protectiveness, guidance, or authority.

In terms of declension, väterlich appears in its inflected form as väterlicher, väterliches, väterliche depending on gender, number, and case. For example, in strong declension without a determiner, masculine nominative uses väterlicher (ein väterlicher Rat: a paternal piece of advice). With a definite article, the form changes to der väterliche Rat (masculine nominative). The genitive masculine singular forms to des väterlichen Rates and other cases follow standard German adjective endings, producing forms such as väterlichen in several contexts.

Etymologically, väterlich is built from Vater plus the adjectival suffix -lich, mirroring related terms like mütterlich (motherly). The word is common in literary, religious, and formal registers, where it can convey a respectful or authoritative tone when describing advice, conduct, or demeanor.

A related expression is väterlicherseits, meaning on the father’s side, illustrating how väterlich can participate in compound formations to specify kinship-related meanings. While the core sense remains stable—pertaining to qualities of a father—the tone can range from neutral to slightly formal or literary depending on context.