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

• household

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

Her 2014 film Still Alice followed a linguistics professor diagnosed with familial Alzheimer's disease. —Nicholas Rice, People.com, 9 Sep. 2025

Romvari cut her teeth with documentaries that also have explored her familial history, and this feels like a culmination of that work. —Zach Dennis, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2025

However, when their late sister’s boyfriend re-enters their lives, things take a turn for the worse, forcing both brothers to confront their familial flaws head-on. —Andrew McGowan, Variety, 8 Sep. 2025

The event also evokes the nostalgia of childhood cookouts, grounding the day in familial warmth. —Essence, 6 Sep. 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