filiis

Filiis is a Latin term that functions as a grammatical form rather than a standalone lexical item in English. It represents the dative and ablative plural of filius, the noun meaning “son.” In Latin grammar, fili is the stem, and the ending -is marks the plural dative or ablative case.

The full paradigm for filius shows filiis as the dative plural (to/for the sons) and the ablative plural (by/with/from the sons) forms. For reference, the singular forms are filius (nominative), filii (genitive), filio (dative/ablative), and filium (accusative). In Latin, the plural nominative is filii, the genitive is filiorum, the dative/ablative is filiīs (or filiīs with a macron indicating a long vowel), and the plural accusative is filios.

Usage notes: filiis appears in sentences where the action relates to the sons as recipients, beneficiaries, or accompanying entities. Examples include donum filiis dedit (“he gave a gift to the sons”) and cum filiīs, “with the sons.” It is typically found in classical, medieval, or ecclesiastical Latin texts and appears in both prose and inscriptions where precise case marking is required.

Related terms include filius (son), filia (daughter), and the adjective familial or filial, which derives from the same root and conveys the sense of relating to a son or sonship. The form filiis is distinct from filiī (nominative plural) and filiīs (ablative singular), and from other declension patterns that may appear in Latin texts.

See also: filius, filia, filial, Latin grammar, second declension.