filial

American  

[fil-ee-uhl] / ˈfɪl i əl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or befitting a son or daughter.

   filial obedience.

2. noting or having the relation of a child to a parent.

3. Genetics. pertaining to the sequence of generations following the parental generation, each generation being designated by an F followed by a subscript number indicating its place in the sequence.

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filial British  

/ ˈfɪljəl /

adjective

1. of, resembling, or suitable to a son or daughter

   filial affection

2.  F.  genetics designating any of the generations following the parental generation; F 1 indicates the first filial generation, F 2 the second, etc

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Other Word Forms

• filially adverb
• filialness noun
• nonfilial adjective

Etymology

Origin of filial

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin fīliālis, equivalent to Latin fīli ( us ) son + -ālis -al ¹

Example Sentences

Hell, most Old Testament patriarchs aren’t as demanding of loyalty and filial supplication as Rupert Murdoch, save for God himself.

From Salon

To embody the idea of filial piety to appeal to the Grand Queen Dowager, Yeon creates doenjang-guk, a traditional soybean paste stew, but adds two special ingredients: spinach and clams.

From Salon

It may sound counterintuitive — because the play is a drama tackling themes of class, feminism and parental and filial obligations — but Reaser and Harner’s superpower is their ability to laugh together.

From Los Angeles Times

Boonnitipat merges that desperation with the filial duty ingrained in Thai society.

From Los Angeles Times

The humanity of his character, concealed in his early filial interactions, will not be denied.

From Los Angeles Times