familial

adjective

fa·​mil·​ial fə-ˈmil-yəl How to pronounce familial (audio)
-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

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 Any previous trips between the two countries have been via flight, leaving her curious about her birth country, Africa, and her familial roots. Ronny Maye, Essence, 19 Apr. 2024 The Graces’ familial relations remain intriguing throughout the season, even amid mentions of Richard (Rhys Coiro), the kids’ absentee father. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 19 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for familial 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'familial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, from Latin familia

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of familial was in 1843

Dictionary Entries Near familial

Cite this Entry

“Familial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/familial. Accessed 5 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

familial

adjective
fa·​mil·​ial fə-ˈmil-yəl How to pronounce familial (audio)
: of, relating to, or typical of a family

Medical Definition

familial

adjective
fa·​mil·​ial fə-ˈmil-yəl How to pronounce familial (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on familial

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