familial
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or characteristic of a family.
familial ties.
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appearing in individuals by heredity.
a familial disease.
adjective
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of or relating to the family
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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.
The split was geographical and, in some cases, familial.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
But the long history of spousal and familial succession in Congress also means we also have plenty of examples of how Graham might behave in her brother’s stead.
From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026
China is the first major jurisdiction to introduce specific rules targeting immersive AI tools that simulate romantic or familial bonds.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 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
To this day, Handel’s music is cherished with unqualified, familial warmth by all Western musicians, belonging not to one nation’s musical history but to all.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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.
