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

Its fragrant yellow blooms, whose production increases as the weather warms, look like a cross between those of a penstemon and a snapdragon, which are familial kin. —Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 14 Mar. 2026

The film explores cultural themes that touch on Black boyhood, familial relationships, growing up in the church, crime, forgiveness and redemption. —Kara Frame, NPR, 12 Mar. 2026

The reason the Sea Captain’s House is renowned for its familial hospitality might have something to do with the special place that contains it. —Chelsea Brasted, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026

The Social Security Administration maintains records on hundreds of millions of people — including health diagnoses, income, banking information, familial relationships and personal biographic data. —ABC News, 11 Mar. 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