family
/ˈfæm(ɪ)li/ noun A1- A group of people who are closely related to one another (by blood, marriage or adoption); kin; in particular, a set of parents and their children; an immediate family. · Our family lives in town.
- A group of related animals, usually a mother and offspring, a mating pair or larger lineages in some species.
- An extended family: a group of people who are related to one another by blood or marriage.
- A nuclear family: a mother and father who are married and cohabiting and their child or children. · The cultural struggle is for the survival of family values against all manner of atheistic amorality.· We must preserve the family unit if we want to save civilisation!
- Members of one's family collectively. · I have a lot of family in Australia.· He has a sister, but no other family.
- A (close-knit) group of people related by blood, friendship, marriage, law, or custom, especially if they live or work together. · crime family, Mafia family· This is my fraternity family at the university.
- The gay community.
- Lineage, especially honorable or noble lineage.
Plural families
From the library
He is not to be trusted as a friend who mistreats his own family.
They therefore chose as leaders Mice that were most renowned for their family descent, strength, and counsel, as well as those most noted for their courage in the fight, so that they might be better marshaled in battle array and formed into troops, regiments, and battalions.
A FATHER had a family of sons who were perpetually quarreling among themselves.
He was about to marry a young and charming woman, whom he loved, not passionately, but reasonably, as became a deputy attorney of the king; and besides her personal attractions, which were very great, Mademoiselle de Saint-Méran’s family possessed considerable political influence, which they would, of course, exert in his favor.
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