Filial is an adjective used mainly in formalappropriate for serious or official situations, not casual conversation writing. It describes something connected with a son or daughter, especially the dutiesthings a person is expected or required to do, feelings, or respect expected toward a parent. It can also refer to the generationa group of people born and living around the same time that comes after the parent generation.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-08. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈfɪliəl/
Easy pronunciation: FIL-ee-uhl (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress is on the first syllable.
Used as an adjective meaning relating to an offspring or child in relation to a parent.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-08. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Filial Meaning
connected with a child in relation to their parent, especially in duties or feelings
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: relating to or characteristic of an offspring
Example: She felt a strong filial duty to care for her aging mother.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-08. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Filial
Meaning 2
belonging to the child generation that comes after the parents
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: designating the generation or the sequence of generations following the parental generation
Example: The study tracked filial lines over several generations.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-08. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse filial with parental. Filial refers to a child or offspring, while parental refers to a parent.
- Filial is formal and is usually used in phrases like filial duty or filial respect.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-08. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does filial mean?
Filial means relating to a child or offspring, especially in relation to duties, feelings, or respect toward a parent.
What is a simple example of filial in a sentence?
A common example is: She felt a strong filial duty to care for her mother.
What is the difference between filial and parental?
Filial describes a child’s relationship to a parent, while parental describes a parent’s relationship to a child.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-08. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.