family style

adverb or adjective

: with the food placed on the table in serving dishes from which those eating may help themselves

Examples of family style in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

After an endless array of specialty dishes were brought out family style, and members of the celebrity set—including Bethenny Frankel and, reportedly, Hailey Bieber—had been served ample amounts of attention, Ludacris took the stage. —Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 4 May 2026

While the sandwiches and small plates are fantastic, Al Baghdadi’s restaurant Salam Grill excels at family style dining. —Nathanael Gassett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Apr. 2026

The interlocking trivets lock together in twos, threes and fours for large casserole dishes and baking sheets, making a great runner for family style tablescapes. —Tory Johnson, ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026

With only 48 passengers, rapport is quickly established thanks to family style pre-dinner drinks and snacks and nightly group recaps and briefing sessions led by the crew. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for family style

• bibliophile
• epicondyle
• geotextile
• nucleophile
• aisle
• bile
• chyle
• file
• guile
• heil
• isle
• kyle