Family
/ˈfæməli/
Definitions
2 meaningsA fundamental social group typically consisting of parents and their children, or other relatives, living together or recognized as such.
/ˈfæməli/
A group of people connected by blood, marriage, or adoption
My family is very important to me.
💡 Simply: Imagine your favorite people - the ones you love, share meals with, and who make you feel safe. It's like your team, made up of people who are related to you!
👶 For kids: A family is a group of people who are related to each other, like parents and kids!
More Examples
We spent the holidays with family.
She comes from a large family.
How It's Used
"The Smith family celebrated their anniversary together."
"The family requested a restraining order."
A taxonomic rank in the classification of organisms, below order and above genus.
/ˈfæməli/
A group of related plants or animals.
The dog belongs to the canine family.
💡 Simply: In science, think of 'family' as a big group of animals or plants that are alike. Like all the cats (lions, tigers, house cats!) are in the cat family.
👶 For kids: In science, a family is a group of animals or plants that are alike!
More Examples
The rose is part of the Rosaceae family.
The family of lions is called a pride.
How It's Used
"The Felidae family includes all cats."
"The wolf is part of the Canidae family."
Idioms & expressions
keep it in the family
To restrict something, such as a job or business, to members of a family.
"The family decided to keep the business in the family so their children could inherit it."
family values
Moral or social principles that are considered important within a family.
"The politician emphasized his commitment to family values during his speech."
From Latin *familia*, originally referring to the servants in a household, then expanding to include the household and its members. Evolved to encompass broader kinship structures.
The word 'family' has been used to describe both households and extended kinship groups for centuries, evolving alongside societal changes in familial structures.
Memory tip
Think of the people you share your home, your holidays, and your blood with. That's your family!
Word Origin
"household, servants"