familial

[ fuh-mil-yuhl, -mil-ee-uhl ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a family:

   familial ties.

2. appearing in individuals by heredity:

   a familial disease.

familial

/ fəˈmɪlɪəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to the family
2. occurring in the members of a family

   a familial disease

Other Words From

• inter·fa·milial adjective
• nonfa·milial adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of familial¹

From French, dating back to 1895–1900; family, -al ¹

Example Sentences

Project 2025 calls for funding to go “to parents either to offset the cost of staying home with a child or to pay for familial, in-home childcare.”

From Los Angeles Times

Like their most famous regular, Lupe’s wife Mary has familial links to Ireland.

From BBC

We strive to achieve as intensified workloads and familial and holiday obligations begin to chip away at our free time.

From Los Angeles Times

There is no evidence of this familial MND in Lucy's family so it is not known if her children may have an increased risk of developing the disease when they are older.

From BBC

Focus Features described Anemone as a film exploring "the intricate relationships between fathers, sons and brothers, and the dynamics of familial bonds".

From BBC

Related Words

• genetic