# family

/ˈfæməɫi/ (US) · /fˈæmɪli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/family
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. relatives

noun · CEFR A1

a group of people who are related to each other, such as parents and their children.

For teachers: a social unit consisting of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption.

- We usually visit my family during the summer holidays.
- The modern definition of family has expanded to include diverse household structures beyond the traditional nuclear model.

Usage: Can be treated as singular or plural in British English; usually singular in American English.

### 2. ancestry

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

your ancestors or the history of your relatives over a long time.

For teachers: a person's lineage or genealogical ancestry, often implying a distinguished or noble background.

- She comes from a famous family of musicians and artists.
- He could trace his family back to the seventeenth century through a series of well-preserved parish records.

### 3. biology

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a group of related plants or animals that is larger than a 'genus' but smaller than an 'order'.

For teachers: a taxonomic rank in the classification of organisms between order and genus.

- The lion and the tiger both belong to the cat family.
- Botanists recently reclassified the species after genetic testing revealed it belonged to a different family entirely.

### 4. linguistics

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

a group of languages that developed from the same original language.

For teachers: a group of languages related through descent from a common ancestral protolanguage.

- French, Spanish, and Italian are all part of the Romance language family.
- The Indo-European family encompasses the majority of the languages spoken today in Europe and parts of Western Asia.

### 5. close friends

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal · Slang

a group of very close friends who treat each other like relatives.

For teachers: a close-knit group of people related by friendship or shared experience rather than biology.

- My teammates are like family to me after all these years.
- In many urban environments, individuals form 'chosen families' that provide the emotional support traditionally expected from biological kin.

### 6. suitable for all ages

adjective · CEFR A2

something that is safe or good for both children and adults to see.

For teachers: denoting content or environments suitable for all ages, particularly children.

- We are looking for a family movie to watch tonight.
- The resort prides itself on providing family entertainment that avoids the crude humor found in typical late-night shows.

## Examples

- I live with my family in a small house.
- The local community center offers various programs designed to support every member of the family.
- While the term traditionally referred to nuclear units, modern sociological definitions of family have expanded to include diverse kinship structures and chosen support networks.

---

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.