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
In a society that favors a patriarchal breadwinner over one who can’t even sire a child, who can’t fulfill filial prophecy because of his own emotional stuntedness, Ali is an overall feckless man by society’s standards.
—
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2025
This is one of the composer’s great paternal baritone roles: doting and demanding, warm yet principled, dads for whom the highest form of loyalty is the filial kind.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
Whatever filial fantasy inspired him to join his father’s navy has died for Alyn, who shaves the white hair that would give him away as a Velaryon.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 21 July 2024
Walter Wang, who was one of his two sons, described feeling a kind of filial duty.
—Lindsey Choo, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for filial 
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.
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2025
This is one of the composer’s great paternal baritone roles: doting and demanding, warm yet principled, dads for whom the highest form of loyalty is the filial kind.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
Whatever filial fantasy inspired him to join his father’s navy has died for Alyn, who shaves the white hair that would give him away as a Velaryon.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 21 July 2024
Walter Wang, who was one of his two sons, described feeling a kind of filial duty.
—Lindsey Choo, Forbes, 11 Oct. 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 5 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share