# paternalism

> English word · Noun · IPA /pəˈtɝnəlɪzəm/ · frequency rank #70,151

## Definitions
1. The treatment of people in a fatherly manner, especially by caring for them and sometimes being stern with them.
2. The guiding of people in a manner that limits their autonomy in the name of their own well-being.

## Etymology
From paternal + -ism.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/paternalism