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

On a day of family and reunion, the Cowboys and Chiefs will line up with their own familial storylines that align with the theme of America’s holiday. —Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Nov. 2025

No one wants the sad facts of real life to puncture the bubble of happy, shared, familial history revisited at the holiday feast. —Cathie Beck, Denver Post, 23 Nov. 2025

Pulled down by a life of social expectations, shame, familial demands, and the Wizard’s requests, Elphie requires flight, re-centering her broomstick as the physical embodiment of her growing power. —Time, 21 Nov. 2025

Set Boundaries Boundaries are a healthy and essential part of all relationships, even familial ones. —Sydney Bauer, Them., 21 Nov. 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