filial

adjective

fil·​ial ˈfi-lē-əl How to pronounce filial (audio)
ˈfil-yəl
1
: of, relating to, or befitting a son or daughter
filial obedience
filial love
2
: having or assuming the relation of a child or offspring
The new village has a filial relationship with the original settlement.
filially
ˈfi-lē-ə-lē How to pronounce filial (audio)
ˈfil-yə-lē
adverb

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Filial Has Familial Origins

Filial comes from Latin filius, meaning "son," and filia, "daughter"; in English, it applies to any gender. The word has long carried the dutiful sense "owed to a parent by a child," as found in such phrases as "filial respect" and "filial piety." These days it can also be used more generally for any emotion or behavior of a child to a parent.

Examples of filial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Tensions arise when a struggling, idealistic poet meets his girlfriend’s family at their idyllic, hillside countryside home in Hong Sang-soo’s latest feature — a quietly profound meditation on the complexities of filial love and familial strife. Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2025 Caroline, a thorny depiction of filial love in all its iterations, centers on Maddie (Moretz), a heavily tattooed young single mother raising her trans daughter, Caroline (River Lipe-Smith). Alex Jhamb Burns, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2025 Julia, who studied music and theater at Harvard, is currently developing a musical based on the Korean folktale of Simcheong, a filial daughter who sacrifices herself for her blind father. Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025 Dazzled by the size of the home and the beauty of its rural environs, Seoul-dweller Donghwa bonds with the family, especially the benevolent patriarch, for whom family, tradition, and filial devotion seem paramount. Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for filial

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin filialis, from Latin filius son — more at feminine

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of filial was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Filial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/filial. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

filial

adjective
fil·​i·​al
ˈfil-ē-əl,
ˈfil-yəl
1
: of, relating to, or befitting a son or daughter
filial obedience
2
: being or having the relation of a child or offspring

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