filial

comparative more filial · superlative most filial

1. not comparablePertaining to or befitting a son or daughter.

   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]; […]

   1794, Charlotte Smith, “Chapter 20”, in The Banished Man, volume 2

   1 more example

   The plot revolves around an aimless and unemployed young man, M, whose sole ambition is to livestream his online games. He volunteers to take care of his maternal grandmother after he finds out she has Stage 4 cancer. His motivation is not filial piety; instead, he hopes that he can inherit her house.

   2024 June 23, Sui-Lee Wee, “Why Southeast Asia Is Crying Over This Movie”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 23 Jun 2024

   Antonyms: unfilial

2. comparableRespectful of the duties and attitudes of sons or daughters toward their parents.

   If the admonition [to the parent] does not take effect, the son will be more reverential and more filial; […]

   1885, The actions and Attitude of Filiality, (Please provide the book title or journal name), translation of original by ConfuciusJames Legge

3. biologyOf a generation or generations descending from a specific previous one.

   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, as first filial (F₁), second filial (F₂), etc.

   1916, William E. Castle, Gregor Mendel, Genetics & Eugenics, page 101