Skip to main content
filiation

filiation

9.9
Family traits passed from parents or ancestors
  • noun
  • /ˌfɪliˈeɪʃən/
translation icon : herencia
  • The study of genetics helps us understand the filiation of traits within families.

Examples

  • I have already mentioned the claims made by futurism and Marinetti about their importance in the filiation of fascism.

    Academic text (1998)
  • In historical contexts, filiation often influences claims to inheritance and titles.

  • The filiation between the artist and her mentor was evident in her style and technique.

Synonyms

inheritance
vsfiliation
24 3.7

A quality, belief, or tradition that older family members pass down

is about shared bloodline properties rather than cultural or legal transmissions
heredity
vsfiliation
9 5.8

Parents pass physical and mental traits to their children through genes

focuses on shared characteristics within a bloodline rather than only genetic transfer

How Related

filiation
9.9
kinship
  • Specialized
5 4.8
remote
15 5.4

Surface Forms

filiation singular
filiations plural

Morphology

filiation = filial (semi-transparent) = filia + ation

The meaning 'lineage/relationship' is derivable from the family root present in 'filial' but the combining form is Latin and not transparently productive for many learners.

Etymology

Filiation comes from an old Latin word filius ('son') and filia ('daughter'), the same root you see in filial. So filiation can mean the family line or blood link that explains shared traits and ancestry.