Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To treat paternally; especially, to support and control so as to make dependent instead of self-reliant: used of governmental action.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To make paternal; to place in a fatherly role.
  • verb control organizations, things etc. disregarding people's freedom and responsibility under guise and pretense of knowing what would be good and proper for them

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Let's see how many ways we can depersonalize, dehumanize, patronize, paternalize, infantilize and deminunize women in the name of empowerment and do-goodism.

    The Daily Bastardette 2009

  • I hope it holds (and it's been confusing in the past, cause she's allowed him to paternalize her, in a kind way, in the past, but suddenly no way - that's the only thing that wasn't working for me (other than Izzie's slide into happy bridal land - the place she hated when Denny proposed (see outside hospital, with George, season

    Grey's Anatomy: Grey Matter 2009

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