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

Washington examines varying experiences of displacement, writing with tenderness about the tolls of emigration and exile, both cultural and familial. —The New Yorker, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025

No matter the familial outcome, William’s input is in dire need. —Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 9 Nov. 2025

Genetics often play a role, as short parents typically have short children (familial short stature). —Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025

Maybe familial ties, in a world that most days seems to have gone horribly wrong, where each whipsaw news cycle brings another story about humans’ inflicting cruelty on one another, are more important than ever. —Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 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