familial

adjective

fa·​mil·​ial fə-ˈmil-yəl 

-ˈmi-lē-əl

1

: tending to occur in more members of a family than expected by chance alone

a familial disorder

2

: of, relating to, or suggestive of a family

has familial ties to the area

a familial atmosphere

Synonyms

• household

Examples of familial in a Sentence

The company has created a familial atmosphere in its offices.

it's a familial duty as well as a tradition for everyone in my family to eat dinner together

Recent Examples on the Web

Acclaimed Spanish auteur Carla Simón’s return to the fervent ground of her childhood is a deeply personal meditation on memory, identity and familial myth making. —Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2025

And all have resulted in familial, economic, and social repercussions that will linger for decades. —William D. Lopez, Time, 29 Sep. 2025

For traditionalists like Coles, yachting means tailoring every element—menus, destinations, activities, even formality—to an owner or a charter guest, with the crew creating a familial experience usually limited to 12 passengers. —Chrissie McClatchie, Robb Report, 27 Sep. 2025

The story is set to be familial. —Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, from Latin familia

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing familial

• familial adenomatous polyposis
• familial hypercholesterolemia
• inter-familial

Kids Definition

familial

adjective

fa·​mil·​ial fə-ˈmil-yəl 

: of, relating to, or typical of a family

Medical Definition

familial

adjective

fa·​mil·​ial fə-ˈmil-yəl 

: tending to occur in more members of a family than expected by chance alone

a familial disorder

compare acquired sense 1, congenital sense 2, hereditary