Filial
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: /ˈfɪl.i.əl/, /ˈfɪl.jəl/
- Hyphenation: fil + i + al
- US IPA: /ˈfi.li.əl/
- Hyphenation: fi + li + al
Origin
From Middle French filial, from Latin fÄ«liÄlis, from filius ("son")
filia ("daughter").
Full definition of filial
Adjective
filial
- (not comparable) Pertaining to or befitting a son or daughter.
- 1794, Charlotte Smith, The Banished Man, Volume 2, ,The filial duty Ellesmere had paid to a father, who had no other claim to it than that he was his father, was now consoling to him D'Alonville; ...
- (comparable) Respectful of the duties and attitudes of a son or daughter toward their parents.
- 1885, Confucius, "The actions and Attitude of Filiality", translated by James Legge,Cited in Robert E. Van Voorst (ed.) (2005), Anthology of world scriptures, ISBN 0-534-52099-5If the admonition the parent does not take effect, the son will be more reverential and more filial; ...
- (genetics) Of a generation or generations descending from a specific previous one.
- 1916, William E. Castle & , Genetics & Eugenics, p. 101.This, following Bateson, we may call the parental generation or P generation. Subsequent generations are called filial generations (abbreviated F) and their numerical order is indicated by a subscript, ...
Synonyms
- (pertaining to or befitting of children) sonly, daughterly