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
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.
An installment in which Felix visits his dysfunctional parents—and is flooded with bad childhood memories—serves as a reminder of just how well Dunham writes the decades-long aftereffects of familial instability. Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 10 July 2025 Native children also grow up in areas with higher rates of poverty, racial discrimination, and familial conflicts, according to a joint university study by researchers at the University of Toledo and New Mexico State University. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 10 July 2025 This is the second familial fallout for Ball in 2025. Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 10 July 2025 No amount of nature, though, guarantees this level of familial athletic success. Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for familial

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

Cite this Entry

“Familial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/familial. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!