parents and their children, considered as a group, whether dwelling together or not.
2.
the children of one person or one couple collectively: We want a large family.
3.
the spouse and children of one person: We're taking the family on vacation next week.
4.
any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, children, uncles, aunts, and cousins: to marry into a socially prominent family.
5.
all those persons considered as descendants of a common progenitor.
6.
Chiefly British. approved lineage, esp. noble, titled, famous, or wealthy ancestry: young men of family.
7.
a group of persons who form a household under one head, including parents, children, and servants.
8.
the staff, or body of assistants, of an official: the office family.
9.
a group of related things or people: the family of romantic poets; the halogen family of elements.
10.
a group of people who are generally not blood relations but who share common attitudes, interests, or goals and, frequently, live together: Many hippie communes of the sixties regarded themselves as families.
11.
a group of products or product models made by the same manufacturer or producer.
12.
Biology. the usual major subdivision of an order or suborder in the classification of plants, animals, fungi, etc., usually consisting of several genera.
13.
Slang. a unit of the Mafia or Cosa Nostra operating in one area under a local leader.
14.
Linguistics. the largest category into which languages related by common origin can be classified with certainty: Indo-European, Sino-Tibetan, and Austronesian are the most widely spoken families of languages. Compare stock(def. 12), subfamily(def. 2).
15.
Mathematics.
a.
a given class of solutions of the same basic equation, differing from one another only by the different values assigned to the constants in the equation.
b.
a class of functions or the like defined by an expression containing a parameter.
c.
a set.
–adjective
16.
of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a family: a family trait.
17.
belonging to or used by a family: a family automobile; a family room.
18.
suitable or appropriate for adults and children: a family amusement park.
19.
not containing obscene language: a family newspaper.
—Idiom
20.
in a or the family way, pregnant.
[Origin: 1350–1400; ME familie < L familia a household, the slaves of a household, equiv. to famul(us) servant, slave + -ia-y3]
A fundamental social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children.
Two or more people who share goals and values, have long-term commitments to one another, and reside usually in the same dwelling place.
A group of like things; a class.
A group of individuals derived from a common stock: the family of human beings.
All the members of a household under one roof.
A group of persons sharing common ancestry. See Usage Note at collective noun.
Lineage, especially distinguished lineage.
A locally independent organized crime unit, as of the Cosa Nostra.
A group of like things; a class.
A group of individuals derived from a common stock: the family of human beings.
Biology A taxonomic category of related organisms ranking below an order and above a genus. A family usually consists of several genera. See Table at taxonomy.
Linguistics A group of languages descended from the same parent language, such as the Indo-European language family.
Mathematics A set of functions or surfaces that can be generated by varying the parameters of a general equation.
Chemistry A group of elements with similar chemical properties.
Chemistry A vertical column in the periodic table of elements.
adj.
Of or having to do with a family: family problems.
Being suitable for a family: family movies.
[Middle English familie, from Latin familia, household, servants of a household, from famulus, servant.]
c.1400, "servants of a household," from L. familia "household," including relatives and servants, from famulus "servant," of unknown origin. The classical L. sense recorded in Eng. from 1545; the main modern sense of "those connected by blood" (whether living together or not) is first attested 1667. Replaced O.E. hiwscipe. Buzzword family values first recorded 1966. Phrase in a family way "pregnant" is from 1796. Family circle is 1809; family man, one devoted to wife and children, is 1856 (earlier it meant "thief," 1788, from family in slang sense of "the fraternity of thieves").
a social unit living together; "he moved his family to Virginia"; "It was a good Christian household"; "I waited until the whole house was asleep"; "the teacher asked how many people made up his home"
2.
primary social group; parents and children; "he wanted to have a good job before starting a family"
3.
a collection of things sharing a common attribute; "there are two classes of detergents" [syn: class]
4.
people descended from a common ancestor; "his family has lived in Massachusetts since the Mayflower"
5.
a person having kinship with another or others; "he's kin"; "he's family" [syn: kin]
6.
(biology) a taxonomic group containing one or more genera; "sharks belong to the fish family"
7.
a loose affiliation of gangsters in charge of organized criminal activities [syn: syndicate]
8.
an association of people who share common beliefs or activities; "the message was addressed not just to employees but to every member of the company family"; "the church welcomed new members into its fellowship"
(singular or plural) a man, his wife and their children Example: These houses were built for families; The (members of the) Smith family are all very athletic; (also adjective) a family holiday
Arabic:
عائِلَه
Chinese (Simplified):
家庭
Chinese (Traditional):
家庭
Czech:
rodina; rodinný
Danish:
familie; familie-
Dutch:
gezin
Estonian:
pere(kond)
Finnish:
perhe
French:
famille
German:
die Familie, Familien…
Greek:
οικογένεια, οικογενειακός
Hungarian:
család; (melléknévként) családi
Icelandic:
fjölskylda
Indonesian:
keluarga
Italian:
famiglia
Japanese:
家族
Latvian:
ģimene; ģimenes-
Lithuanian:
šeima; šeimyninis
Norwegian:
(kjerne)familie
Polish:
rodzina
Portuguese (Brazil):
família
Portuguese (Portugal):
família
Romanian:
familie
Russian:
семья
Slovak:
rodina; rodinný
Slovenian:
družina
Spanish:
familia
Swedish:
familj, familje-
Turkish:
aile
family2[ˈfӕməli]noun
a group of people related to each other, including cousins, grandchildren etc Example: He comes from a wealthy family; (also adjective) the family home
Arabic:
نَسْل، آل
Chinese (Simplified):
家族
Chinese (Traditional):
家族
Czech:
rodina; rodinný
Danish:
familie; familie-
Dutch:
familie
Estonian:
suguvõsa
Finnish:
suku
French:
famille
German:
die Familie
Greek:
οικογένεια
Hungarian:
család; (melléknévként) családi
Icelandic:
ættingjar, skyldmenni
Indonesian:
keluarga
Italian:
famiglia
Japanese:
一族
Latvian:
dzimta
Lithuanian:
šeima, giminė
Norwegian:
familie, slekt
Polish:
rodzina, ród
Portuguese (Brazil):
família
Portuguese (Portugal):
família
Romanian:
familie
Russian:
род
Slovak:
rodina; rodinný
Slovenian:
rodbina, rodbinski
Spanish:
familia
Swedish:
familj, släkt
Turkish:
aile
family3[ˈfӕməli]noun
the children of a man and his wife Example: When I get married I should like a large family.
Arabic:
أُسْرَه
Chinese (Simplified):
子女
Chinese (Traditional):
子女
Czech:
rodina
Danish:
familie
Dutch:
gezin
Estonian:
järeltulijad
Finnish:
perhe
French:
famille
German:
die Familie
Greek:
οικογένεια
Hungarian:
család
Icelandic:
afkvæmi, börn
Indonesian:
keluarga
Italian:
famiglia
Japanese:
子供
Latvian:
(vienas ģimenes) bērni un sieva
Lithuanian:
šeimyna
Norwegian:
barn
Polish:
rodzina
Portuguese (Brazil):
família
Portuguese (Portugal):
família
Romanian:
familie
Russian:
дети
Slovak:
rodina
Slovenian:
družina
Spanish:
familia
Swedish:
familj
Turkish:
aile
family4[ˈfӕməli]noun
a group of plants, animals, languages etc that are connected in some way Example: In spite of its name, a koala bear is not a member of the bear family.
familyAudio Help (fām'ə-lē) Pronunciation Key
A group of organisms ranking above a genus and below an order. The names of families end in -ae, a plural ending in Latin. In the animal kingdom, family names end in -idae, as in Canidae (dogs and their kin), while those in the plant kingdom usually end in -aceae, as in Rosaceae (roses and their kin). See Table at taxonomy.
In biology, the classification lower than an order and higher than a genus. Lions, tigers, cheetahs, and house cats belong to the same biological family. Human beings belong to the biological family of hominids. (SeeLinnean classification.)
Fa*mil`iar\, a. [OE. familer, familier, F. familier, fr. L. familiaris, fr. familia family. See Family.]1. Of or pertaining to a family; domestic. "Familiar feuds." --Byron. 2. Closely acquainted or intimate, as a friend or companion; well versed in, as any subject of study; as, familiar with the Scriptures. 3. Characterized by, or exhibiting, the manner of an intimate friend; not formal; unconstrained; easy; accessible. "In loose, familiar strains." --Addison. Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar. --Shak. 4. Well known; well understood; common; frequent; as, a familiar illustration. That war, or peace, or both at once, may be As things acquainted and familiar to us. --Shak. There is nothing more familiar than this. --Locke. 5. Improperly acquainted; wrongly intimate. --Camden. Familiar spirit, a demon or evil spirit supposed to attend at call. --1 Sam. xxviii. 3, 7-9.
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Audio Help [fam-uh-lee, fam-lee] Pronunciation Key noun, plural -lies, adjective 
