family

The word “family” means a group of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption, especially parents and their children. In plain terms, the people you're related to, or (more broadly) any group of related things.

“Family” is pronounced FAM-lee (/ˈfæm(ə)li/ in IPA).

Here is “family” used in a sentence: “They're raising a family of four in a small flat.”

Words with a similar meaning to “family” include flesh and blood, kin, kinfolk, fam and class.

Depending on how it is used, “family” can be a noun and an adjective.

The word “family” comes from Latin. From Latin familia, originally meaning a household including its servants, from famulus, "servant.".

“Family” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Family” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a group of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption, especially parents and their children.

Common types include the nuclear family (parents and their children), the extended family (adding grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins), single-parent families, blended or step-families formed after remarriage, and adoptive or foster families. Definitions vary across cultures, but all centre on close, lasting bonds between members.

A nuclear family consists of parents and their children living together as one household. An extended family reaches further, including grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, often across several households or generations. The nuclear family is a smaller unit within the wider network of an extended family.

No. The definition includes ties by marriage and adoption, not just blood. Step-parents, in-laws, and adopted children are all family. Many people also speak of a 'chosen family' — close friends they treat as relatives — showing that love and commitment can matter as much as biology.

Family often provides a person's first source of care, security, and belonging. It shapes early values, offers emotional and practical support through life, and passes down traditions and identity across generations. While every family differs, these lasting bonds are central to most people's sense of who they are.