A father (or dad) is defined as a male parent or Individual progenitor of human offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to a father and comparatively to "maternal" for a mother. The verb "to father" means to procreate or to sire a child from which also derives the gerund "fathering". Fathers determine the gender of their child through a sperm cell which either contains an X chromosome (female), or Y chromosome (male).
Read more about Father: Etymology, Relationship With Children, Determination of Parenthood, History of Fatherhood, Father–offspring Conflict, Categories, Non-human Fatherhood
Famous quotes containing the word father:
“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”
—Bible: Hebrew Exodus 20:12, one of the Ten Commandments.
“This is my father or, maybe,
It is as he was,
A likeness, one of the race of fathers: earth
And sea and air.”
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)
“This is not to say that becoming a father automatically makes you a good father. Fatherhood, like marriage, is a constant struggle against your limitations and self-interests. But the urge to be a perfect father is there, because your child is a perfect gift.”
—Kent Nerburn (20th century)