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

Upon seeing Abrams’ performance as a reborn Jay, Duffield quickly realized the familial coda was absolutely the right call. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026

Carson draws parallels between the familial traumas of those who remain and the broader societal wounds of a province still healing from decades of sectarian violence. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026

The costume designer worked with filmmaker Georgia Oakley to create a visual language for the latest adaptation of Jane Austen’s first novel, emphasizing familial bonds and the financial divide between its characters. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026

However, studying familial genetic predispositions can help elucidate how lung cancer develops and lead to new biomarkers for early cancer detection in high-risk groups. — Estelamari Rodriguez, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 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