filial

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   relating to or characteristic of or befitting an offspring

   filial respect

2. 2
   adj

   Pertaining 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]; […]

3. 3
   adj

   Respectful 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; […]

4. 4
   adj

   Of 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.

5. 5
   adj

   designating the generation or the sequence of generations following the parental generation

Etymology

From Middle English filial, from Latin fīliālis, from filius (“son”) / filia (“daughter”) + -al.