familial
Americanadjective
-
of, relating to, or characteristic of a family.
familial ties.
-
appearing in individuals by heredity.
a familial disease.
adjective
-
of or relating to the family
-
occurring in the members of a family
a familial disease
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of familial
From French, dating back to 1895–1900; see origin at family, -al 1
Explanation
The word familial has to do with all things relating to family. A familial gathering is one in which family has come together. A familial bond is a strong connection between family members. It's easy to spot the Latin root familia meaning "family" in the word familial. This is a word that describes events, relationships, or all other things having to do with family. When you talk about a familial bond, you are talking about the kind of intimate connection that only family members can share. If you are interested in genealogy, you have an interest in familial history.
Vocabulary lists containing familial
It's All in the Family
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "F"
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Ungifted
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Although Laija García hasn’t shied away from embracing that familial tie either; in May, both Tito Double P and Peso Pluma concluded their “Dinastía” tour following their joint 2025 album of the same name.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2026
It's a charming palate cleanser after the familial drama of the album's final third.
From BBC • Jul. 2, 2026
Monica may spend time with David and choose whether she’d like to activate his imprinting feature, triggering a familial love that looks and feels as real as her biological son’s — at least to David.
From Salon • Jun. 28, 2026
The other two are important, sure, especially for not rocking the familial boat, but everyone should abide by the letter of the law.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 17, 2026
Boubacar laughed, a familial laugh; he would not laugh like that with an American, he would be cutting if an American dared say the same thing.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
