noun
family
FAM-lee
noun
1
A group of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption, especially parents and their children.
"They're raising a family of four in a small flat."
"Family means everything to her."
2
A group of related things classified together, such as a category in biology or a set of related languages.
"Lions and tigers both belong to the cat family."
adjective
1
Suitable for both children and adults.
"It's a family film with no swearing or violence."
How to Use Family
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe people you're related to, or (more broadly) any group of related things.
Common pairings
immediate family
family member
run in the family
family-friendly
Word Forms
families plural
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They're raising a _____ of four in a small flat.
Etymology
From Latin familia, originally meaning a household including its servants, from famulus, "servant."