Laxi Dictionary

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Definition family in British English

family noun

noun
/ˈfæm(ə)li/
1

a group of people who live together and are related to one another, usually consisting of parents and children: can be followed by a singular or plural verb

Example

A family with two children live next door.

Example

Is the Watson family going to be there?

Example

He grew up in a large working-class family.

Example

Single-parent families are increasingly common.

Example

The tent is big enough for a family of six.

Synonyms and related words
colony commune community
1.1

a group of people who are all related to one another, including dead members of the group: can be followed by a singular or plural verb

Example

Does your family have any history of heart disease?

Example

She did not want the property to go to anyone outside the family.

Example

The boatyard had been in his family for four generations.

1.2

people who are related to you: can be followed by a singular or plural verb

Example

We spent the holiday period visiting family in Scotland.

Example

We ought to help him - after all, he is family.

Example

We had Christmas lunch in the company of family and friends.

Example

He's like one of the family.

2

children in a family: can be followed by a singular or plural verb

Example

The soldier had a wife and family.

Example

They want to get married and start a family.

Example

It's difficult raising a family on one salary.

3

a group of animals or plants that are related. A family has fewer members than an order or class

Example

Kidney beans belong to the bean family.

Synonyms and related words
genus species subspecies
4

if a particular quality or ability runs in the family, a lot of people in that family have it

Example

Athletic ability runs in the family: his father played basketball in college and his mother was a high school athlete.

Definition family in British English

Related Words

Words related to family:

blended family (noun) extended family (noun) family (noun) family (adjective) family balancing (noun) family doctor (noun) family law (noun) family man (noun) family name (noun) family planning (noun) family practice (noun) family room (noun) family tree (noun) family values (noun) family-based immigration (noun) Gold Star family (noun) in the family way (phrase) jigsaw family (noun) nuclear family () Olympic family () one-parent family (noun) order (noun) royal family (noun) single-parent family (noun) Skype family (noun) something runs in family (phrase) the First Family (noun) word family (noun)