1
: of, relating to, or befitting a son or daughter
filial obedience
filial love
2
: having or assuming the relation of a child or offspring
The new village has a filial relationship with the original settlement.
Did you know?
Filial Has Familial Origins
Filial comes from Latin filius, meaning "son," and filia, "daughter"; in English, it applies to any gender. The word has long carried the dutiful sense "owed to a parent by a child," as found in such phrases as "filial respect" and "filial piety." These days it can also be used more generally for any emotion or behavior of a child to a parent.
Examples of filial in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Walter Wang, who was one of his two sons, described feeling a kind of filial duty.
—
Lindsey Choo, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
Those who do not marry—mostly men—will shoulder this filial burden alone.
—Nicholas Eberstadt, Foreign Affairs, 7 Apr. 2021
Historically, even ancient traditions that take filial piety very seriously acknowledge that there will always be a tension between caring for your parents and caring for yourself.
—Sigal Samuel, Vox, 8 Sep. 2024
The humanity of his character, concealed in his early filial interactions, will not be denied.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for filial 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Lindsey Choo, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
Those who do not marry—mostly men—will shoulder this filial burden alone.
—Nicholas Eberstadt, Foreign Affairs, 7 Apr. 2021
Historically, even ancient traditions that take filial piety very seriously acknowledge that there will always be a tension between caring for your parents and caring for yourself.
—Sigal Samuel, Vox, 8 Sep. 2024
The humanity of his character, concealed in his early filial interactions, will not be denied.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for filial
Articles Related to filial
Dictionary Entries Near filial
Cite this Entry
“Filial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/filial. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share