family

fam|i|ly1 [ `fæm(ə)li ] noun ***

1. ) count a group of people who live together and are related to one another, usually consisting of parents and children:

A family with two children lives next door.

Is the Watson family going to be there?

He grew up in a large middle-class family.

single-parent/two-parent family: Single-parent families are increasingly common.

a family of four/five etc.: The tent is big enough for a family of six.

a ) count a group of people who are all related to one another, including dead members of the group:

Does your family have any history of heart disease?

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

be in someone's/the family (=belong to that family): The boatyard had been in his family for four generations.

b ) uncount people who are related to you:

We spent our vacation visiting family in Scotland.

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

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

one of the family: He's like one of the family.

2. ) count children in a family:

The soldier had a wife and family.

start/have a family (=have children): They want to get married and start a family.

bring up/raise a family: It's difficult raising a family on one salary.

3. ) count a group of things such as animals or plants that are related:

Kidney beans belong to the bean family.

Helium is one of the family of inert gases.

in the family way INFORMAL OLD-FASHIONED

pregnant

family

fam|i|ly 2 [ `fæm(ə)li ] adjective only before noun

1. ) relating to families or typical of families:

Quarrels are a normal part of family life.

2. ) appropriate for a family with children:

a three-bedroom family home with a pool

a family movie

a family-size box of cornflakes