filial

[ fil-ee-uhl ]

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.

filial

/ ˈfɪljəl /

adjective

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

   filial affection

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

Derived Forms

• ˈfilially, adverb
• ˈfilialness, noun

Other Words From

• fili·al·ly adverb
• fili·al·ness noun
• non·fili·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of filial¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of filial¹

C15: from Late Latin fīliālis , from Latin fīlius son

Example Sentences

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

From Los Angeles Times

All demographics participate, though the elders sustain similar impulses on Facebook, now Meta, now metabolized by millennials and Gen Z into an antique or filial address book, a distant dystopia.

From Los Angeles Times

For generations, China has relied on filial piety to fill the gaps in elderly care.

From BBC

What begins as a fulfillment of Michael’s filial duty evolves into a philosophical pilgrimage, away from civilization’s destructive conflicts toward direct communion with nature.

From New York Times

Preserving the body is considered an important aspect of filial piety within the context of Confucianism, and that precept encourages long hair, forbids suicide and is interpreted as prohibiting tattoos.

From Los Angeles Times