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.
“The lightning—it is good for you. Your father was Frankenstein, but your mother was the lightning. She has come down to you again.”
—W. Scott Darling, and Erle C. Kenton. Ygor (Bela Lugosi)
“There is no good father who would want to resemble our Heavenly Father.”
—Denis Diderot (1713–1784)