# family member

CEFR A1 · Compound

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/family-member
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

A person who is part of your family, such as a parent, brother, sister, or cousin.

For teachers: A person related to another by kinship, either through blood (consanguinity) or through marriage or adoption (affinity).

## Examples

- My aunt is a close family member.
- You must list a family member as your emergency contact on the hospital form.
- The will stipulated that the estate be divided equally among all surviving family members, regardless of their degree of relation.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He is my family." but "He is a family member." — 'Family' refers to the whole group, while 'family member' refers to one person within that group.

## Usage notes

- This is a countable noun; the plural is 'family members'.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'relative', a near-synonym that can sound slightly more formal or distant. 'Family member' is common in both everyday speech and official contexts.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.