extended family

noun

Definition of extended family

: a family that includes in one household near relatives (such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles) in addition to a nuclear family Given space, there are ways in which even larger populations than the extended family can be accommodated under one roof.— Paul Oliver also : an extensive group of people who are related by blood or marriage or who otherwise regard themselves as a large family Four out of every five people who go through a first divorce remarry … . Thus it is that husbands and wives, their former partners, children and stepchildren, and a whole constellation of grandparents and other relatives are brought together in the new American extended family. — Michael Norman During his five years at Owen High, he turned his teams into an extended family and tried to instill in his players the same sense of self-worth that Baldwin had imparted to him years before. — William Nack

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about extended family

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Synonyms for extended family

Synonyms

home, house, household, ménage

Examples of extended family in a Sentence

their extended family includes a grandmother and widowed aunt

Recent Examples on the Web

Typically, around 40 to 50 extended family members attend Christmas Lunch at Buckingham Palace. — Elise Taylor, Vogue, "Inside the Queen’s Annual Christmas Lunch at Buckingham Palace," 19 Dec. 2018 Devoted to her family and extended family, her greatest joy was spending quality time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. — Sun-Sentinel.com, "Deaths in South Florida: 6/14," 14 June 2018 Baby wolves stay for two years with their mother and father and extended family, who teach their offspring the difficult but critical task of taking down wild prey. — The Washington Post, OregonLive.com, "Puppies' cuteness peaks right when they need humans most, study finds," 24 May 2018 Baby wolves stay for two years with their mother and father and extended family, who teach their offspring the difficult but critical task of taking down wild prey. — Karin Brulliard, chicagotribune.com, "Puppies' cuteness peaks right when they need humans most, study finds," 21 May 2018 Baby wolves stay for two years with their mother and father and extended family, who teach their offspring the difficult but critical task of taking down wild prey. — Karin Brulliard, ajc, "Puppies' cuteness peaks right when they need humans most, study finds," 20 May 2018 Baby wolves stay for two years with their mother and father and extended family, who teach their offspring the difficult but critical task of taking down wild prey. — The Washington Post, NOLA.com, "Puppies reach peak cuteness right when they need humans most," 19 May 2018 That gathering of nuclear or extended family and friends was the primary memory folks had of their mother’s cooking. — Terri Milligan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Thanks, Mom: Readers share food legacy their mothers left them," 8 May 2018 Even Laxalt’s extended family opposes the Republican candidate, with two of his cousins hosting a fundraiser for Sisolak, and five more family members attending. — Stavros Agorakis, Vox, "The 13 most important governor elections in 2018, briefly explained," 15 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'extended family.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.