filial

adjective

fil·​ial ˈfi-lē-əl 

ˈfil-yəl

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.

filially

ˈfi-lē-ə-lē 

ˈfil-yə-lē

adverb

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

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

Those who do not marry—mostly men—will shoulder this filial burden alone. —Nicholas Eberstadt, Foreign Affairs, 7 Apr. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin filialis, from Latin filius son — more at feminine

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing filial

• filial generation

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

filial

adjective

fil·​i·​al

ˈfil-ē-əl,

ˈfil-yəl

1

: of, relating to, or befitting a son or daughter

filial obedience

2

: being or having the relation of a child or offspring