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 of familial

• household
• domestic

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

The legal battle — one involving a familial connection to the Ghanaian presidency — highlights deeper tensions around mining in Africa’s top gold producer. — Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 8 July 2026

An activist and her daughter share their perspectives of living during Freedom Summer in 1964 and the sociopolitical upheaval from the 1960s through the pandemic in a nuanced look at sacrifice, familial love and community ties. — Shyla Watson, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026

The company has decided to do away with familial succession, instead giving the job to the most qualified candidate, regardless of background. — Kayti Burt, Time, 6 July 2026

From entering the industry at 17 as a dishwasher and busboy to building a flourishing suite of restaurants (Hugo’s, Caracol, Xochi, URBE, and Zaranda), Ortega’s long been inspired by familial love of cooking. — Carinne Geil Botta, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

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