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 tribe’s 38th annual Lumáy, known in English as Big Time, got underway on Saturday, with a weekend full of cultural learning, traditional dancing and familial connection on the schedule. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 23 Aug. 2026

About 10% of pancreatic cancers are considered familial or hereditary. — Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 19 Aug. 2026

Despite the decline in gambling, complaints that it’s led to familial problems have increased. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 18 Aug. 2026

Chesney’s vision of a familial culture was also reinforced by senior linebacker Wyatt Mosier, who received a grant Tuesday in honor of Nick Pasquale — a former Bruin walk-on wide receiver who died in 2013 — from the Pasquale family. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 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