family Definition

family
noun families

1. A group consisting of a set of parents and children. Compare nuclear family.
2. A group of people related to one another by blood or marriage. Compare extended family.

Thesaurus: kin, folk, clan, relatives, tribe, breed, blood tie, progeny, offspring, race, ancestry, forebears, dynasty, house.
3. A person's children.
4. A household of people.
5. All those descended from a common ancestor.
6. A related group, eg of races, languages, etc.

Thesaurus: order, class, genus, species, subdivision.
7. biol.
In taxonomy: any of the groups, eg Canidae (dogs, wolves, etc), into which an order (sense 11) is divided and which in turn is subdivided into one or more genera (see genus sense 1).
8. math.
A collection of curves in the equations of which different values are given to the parameters.
9a. : belonging to or specially for a family;

Example: family car
Example: family get-together
9b. : concerning the family;

Example: family matters
Thesaurus: kindred, tribal, familial.
9c. : suitable for the whole family, or for children as well as parents.

Example: family pub
Example: family viewing

Idiom: in the family way

colloq
Pregnant.

Etymology: 14c: from Latin familia household, from famulus servant.