OpenSynonym

family

/ˈfæm.ə.li/

NOUN

1. A group of closely related people

A group of people connected by blood, marriage, or adoption, typically consisting of parents and their children or other close relatives.

1.1. Immediate or nuclear family

A household or close family unit consisting primarily of parents and their children.

Synonyms

  • nuclear family
  • immediate family
  • household

Examples

  • The family moved to a larger house to accommodate their growing children.
  • The government introduced financial support for families with young children.

Related Words

1.2. Extended family and relatives

A wider group of relatives connected through blood or marriage, including grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and other generations.

Synonyms

Examples

  • The entire family gathered for a celebration at their grandparents' home.
  • She comes from a large family with relatives living across several countries.

Related Words

1.3. Close-knit group sharing personal bonds

A group of people connected by friendship, loyalty, shared experiences, or common responsibilities, even without biological or legal relationships.

Synonyms

Examples

  • The volunteers have become a family through their years of working together.
  • The small community welcomed the newcomers as part of their family.

Related Words

NOUN

2. A line of descent or ancestry

A group of people descended from a common ancestor, particularly one associated with a recognizable lineage, heritage, or family name.

2.1. Ancestral lineage and bloodline

A line of descent connecting successive generations through a common ancestor or hereditary relationship.

Synonyms

Examples

  • The family can trace its lineage back to the seventeenth century.
  • Historical records reveal the ancestry of the royal family.

Related Words

2.2. A prominent or noble family

A family recognized for its historical status, influence, wealth, or hereditary position in society.

Synonyms

  • dynasty
  • house
  • lineage
  • clan

Examples

  • The noble family maintained its influence over the region for generations.
  • The historical estate once belonged to a powerful aristocratic family.

Related Words

NOUN

3. A category of related things

A group or collection of things classified together because they share common characteristics, properties, functions, or origins.

3.1. Categories and types

A classification grouping objects, concepts, or entities according to shared characteristics or distinguishing properties.

Synonyms

Examples

  • This product belongs to a family of devices designed for professional use.
  • The researcher compared several families of chemical compounds.

Related Words

  • subclass
  • subgroup
  • division
  • bracket
  • taxonomy
  • classification system

3.2. Biological taxonomic classification

A formal taxonomic rank used to classify organisms that share important biological characteristics and evolutionary relationships.

Synonyms

  • taxon
  • biological group

Examples

  • The rose belongs to the family Rosaceae.
  • Biologists identified several species within the same family.

Related Words

3.3. A group of related musical instruments

A collection of musical instruments that share a similar construction or basic method of producing sound.

Synonyms

  • instrument group
  • instrument class

Examples

  • The violin belongs to the string family of musical instruments.
  • The exhibition introduced visitors to the woodwind family.

Related Words

  • string instruments
  • woodwinds
  • brass instruments
  • percussion
  • orchestra

NOUN

4. A group of languages with a common origin

A collection of languages believed to have developed from the same ancestral language and to share historical linguistic characteristics.

4.1. Linguistic families

Languages grouped together because they descended from a common ancestral language and share historical vocabulary, grammar, or structural features.

Synonyms

  • language group
  • linguistic family
  • language lineage

Examples

  • English belongs to the Indo-European family of languages.
  • Linguists study language families to understand how languages developed over time.

Related Words

  • proto-language
  • language branch
  • dialect
  • linguistics
  • language subgroup

NOUN

5. A person belonging to a particular family

An individual who is connected to a particular family through blood, marriage, or adoption.

5.1. An individual relative or family member

A person who belongs to or is closely related to a particular family.

Synonyms

Examples

  • She is the only family remaining in the old neighborhood.
  • Every family was invited to participate in the reunion.

Related Words

ADJECTIVE

6. Suitable for all age groups

Appropriate, entertaining, or acceptable for both children and adults, without content considered unsuitable for younger audiences.

6.1. Suitable for children and adults

Describing entertainment, activities, or content that can be enjoyed or used by people of different ages, including children.

Synonyms

  • wholesome
  • child-friendly
  • all-ages
  • age-appropriate
  • family-friendly

Antonyms

Examples

  • The theater is showing a family movie during the school holidays.
  • The resort offers family entertainment and activities for children.

Related Words

  • clean
  • inoffensive
  • wholesomeness
  • recreational
  • entertaining

ADJECTIVE

7. Conservative or traditional in values

Characterized by traditional social values, conventional attitudes, or an emphasis on established family structures and customs.

7.1. Traditional social values

Describing attitudes, policies, or lifestyles that emphasize conventional family structures, established customs, and traditional social values.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • The organization promotes family values and traditional community activities.
  • The candidate appealed to voters with a family-oriented and conservative platform.

Related Words