1
: of, relating to, or befitting a son or daughter
filial duties
filial obedience/devotion
filial love
2
: having or assuming the relation of a child or offspring
The new village has a filial relationship with the original settlement.
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Filial Has Familial Origins
Filial comes from Latin filius, meaning "son," and filia, "daughter"; in English, it applies to any gender. The word has long carried the dutiful sense "owed to a parent by a child," as found in such phrases as "filial respect" and "filial piety." These days it can also be used more generally for any emotion or behavior of a child to a parent.
Examples of filial in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Shakespearean parallels end with the premise of filial revenge, though, and cheap thrills overshadow what otherwise could be a deeper exploration of generational cycles of violence.
—
Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2026
Trump has always relied upon interim appointments as much as possible, given their filial piety of the office holder to Trump, as their legitimacy is anchored only by his authority and not Congressional confirmation.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 9 June 2026
Some states have filial responsibility laws that could require adult children to help pay a deceased parent’s unpaid medical or nursing home bills, though these laws are rarely enforced.
—James Malm, The Conversation, 1 June 2026
Here, against the intimate interiority of this elegant narrative, untamed urges clash with Confucian ideals of filial piety and Buddhist undertones of the suffering caused by worldly attachments.
—Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
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Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2026
Trump has always relied upon interim appointments as much as possible, given their filial piety of the office holder to Trump, as their legitimacy is anchored only by his authority and not Congressional confirmation.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 9 June 2026
Some states have filial responsibility laws that could require adult children to help pay a deceased parent’s unpaid medical or nursing home bills, though these laws are rarely enforced.
—James Malm, The Conversation, 1 June 2026
Here, against the intimate interiority of this elegant narrative, untamed urges clash with Confucian ideals of filial piety and Buddhist undertones of the suffering caused by worldly attachments.
—Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for filial
Cite this Entry
“Filial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/filial. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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