familial
/fə'mijəl/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Relating to or having the characteristics of a family: Pertaining to the structure, relationships, or dynamics within a family unit.
- Occurring among members of a family, usually by heredity: Describing traits, conditions, or patterns that are transmitted through or common within a family line.
Examples of Usage
- Adjective:
- There is a strong familial resemblance between the sisters. (The sisters look very much alike, as is common in families.)
- The study focused on familial patterns of heart disease. (The research examined how heart disease occurs within families.)
- They share a close familial bond. (They have a strong connection typical of family members.)
Advanced Usage
- "Familial aggregation": In medicine and genetics, this term describes the clustering of a trait or disease within families more often than would be expected by chance.
- The familial aggregation of certain cancers suggests a genetic component.
- "Familial duty": A responsibility or obligation perceived as inherent to one's role within a family.
- Caring for elderly parents is often seen as a familial duty.
Variants and Related Words
- Family (n): The basic unit in society traditionally consisting of parents and their children.
- Familially (adv): In a manner relating to family. (This adverb is rare but grammatically correct).
- The estate was divided familially, according to tradition.
Synonyms
- Genetic: Relating to genes or heredity. (Note: 'Familial' can imply genetic transmission but is broader, encompassing shared environment and social structure).
- Hereditary: Passed down from parents to offspring.
- Domestic: Relating to the home or household. (This is a looser synonym, focusing more on the home environment than kinship).
Antonyms
- Nonfamilial: Not relating to or occurring within a family.
- Sporadic: Occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; not inherited or clustered in families.
Notes on Meaning
- The primary meaning of familial connects to the social unit of a family. Its secondary, scientific meaning specifically highlights patterns (like diseases or traits) that recur within biological families, often implying a genetic or shared environmental cause. It is a more formal and academic term than the simple adjective "family" (e.g., "family car" vs. "familial obligations").
Adjective
- occurring among members of a family usually by heredity
- an inherited disease
- familial traits
- genetically transmitted features
- relating to or having the characteristics of a family
- children of the same familial background
- familial aggregation