family

FAM-uh-lee/ˈfæ.m(ə.)li/FAM-i-lee/ˈfæ.m(ɪ.)li/

11 meanings of family

1
householdnouncountable or uncountable
A group of people who are related, especially parents and their children.
Like the small group of people you grow up with and who take care of you.
My family always eats dinner together on Sundays.
She comes from a large family with five children.
UsageYou can say my family is or my family are.
Note
2
nouncountable or uncountable
A larger group of relatives, including grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Like a tree with many branches, all joined to the same trunk.
Our whole family came to the reunion, even cousins we rarely see.
He has a big family spread across three different countries.
UsageWe say the whole family for all our relatives.
Similarrelatives, relations, kin, clan, kinfolk
3
nouncountable or uncountable
A close group of people who feel connected, like those who live or work closely together.
Like a group of friends who care for each other like relatives.
The team became like a family after years of working together.
Our small church feels like one big family.
UsageWe say a team is like a family.
Similarbrotherhood, community, clan, tribe
Note
4
nouncountable
The children of a person or a couple, thought of as a group apart from the parents.
They plan to start a family after they buy a house.
She went back to work full time once her family had grown up and left home.
UsageWe say start a family (have children) and raise a family.
Similarchildren
Note
5
biology ranknouncountable or uncountable
A group of related living things, bigger than a genus but smaller than an order.
Like a group of plants or animals that are all distant cousins.
Lions and house cats belong to the same family.
Roses and apples are part of one large plant family.
UsageThe name comes right after it: the family Canidae.
Note
6
nouncountable or uncountable
A group of similar or related things, such as languages or musical instruments.
Like a group of crayons that are all shades of blue.
These colors all belong to the same family of warm shades.
The new phone is part of a whole family of similar devices.
Similargroup, class, category, set
Note
7
noununcountable
The line of ancestors a person comes from, especially a noble one.
Like the long line of grandparents and great-grandparents you come from.
She comes from an old and respected family.
He was proud of his family's long history.
Similarlineage, ancestry, line, bloodline, pedigree
Note
8
all agesadjective
Okay for both kids and grown-ups to watch or enjoy.
Like a show that both a child and a grandparent can watch together.
We picked a family movie that everyone could enjoy.
The resort offers lots of family activities for all ages.
UsageUsed before a noun: a family movie.
Similarwholesome
Oppositeadult, mature, explicit

Less common meanings

9
nounslanguncountable
In gay slang, the gay community, seen as one close group of people.
When she came out, her gay friends told her, "Welcome to the family."
He quietly asked his gay friend if the new teacher was family.
Note
10
nouncountable
A group of animals that are related, usually a mother or a mother and father with their babies.
A family of ducks crossed the road in a neat little line.
We spotted two fox families living at the edge of the woods.
Note
11
noun
In math, a group of sets that are looked at together as one collection.

Practice

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Origin

This word comes from Latin familia, meaning 'a household'. It reached English through Late Middle English famylye.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

Family derives from Latin familia, meaning 'a household'. en.wiktionary.org
The Latin word entered English as Late Middle English famylye. en.wiktionary.org