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

The characters feel connected by strings and a cohesive group doesn’t seem to exist outside of familial lines. —Zach Dennis, Charlotte Observer, 15 Aug. 2025

The award-winning actor is back, this time with son Ronan Day-Lewis, for a gripping familial drama. —Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025

Plus, that guy hightailed it at the first sign of familial conflict with his future in-laws, demonstrating all the courage and fortitude of a wilted cabbage. —Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025

The familial vibe on set spread into the cast’s real-life connections and into the legacy of the movie, too. —Madeleine Janz, People.com, 9 Aug. 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