plural families
Definition of family
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: the basic unit in society traditionally consisting of two parents rearing their children
also
: any of various social units differing from but regarded as equivalent to the traditional family
a single-parent family
b
: spouse and children
want to spend more time with my family
2
: a group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head : household
b
: a people or group of peoples regarded as deriving from a common stock
4a
: a group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation : fellowship
b
: the staff of a high official (such as the President)
5
: a group of things related by common characteristics: such as
a
: a closely related series of elements or chemical compounds
b
: a group of soils with similar chemical and physical properties (such as texture, pH, and mineral content) that comprise a category ranking above the series and below the subgroup in soil classification
c
: a group of related languages descended from a single ancestral language
6a
: a group of related plants or animals forming a category ranking above a genus and below an order and usually comprising several to many genera
b
in livestock breeding
(1)
: the descendants or line of a particular individual especially of some outstanding female
(2)
: an identifiable strain within a breed
7
: a set of curves or surfaces whose equations differ only in parameters
8
: a unit of a crime syndicate (such as the Mafia) operating within a geographical area
family
adjectiveDefinition of family (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: of or relating to a family (see family entry 1)
2
: designed or suitable for both children and adults
family restaurants family movies
Buying Guide
Our Reviews team has selected the best dna test kits.
Test Your Vocabulary
Which Word Does Not Belong?
-
- Which of these words does not mean "nonsense"?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share family
Time Traveler for family
The first known use of family was in the 15th century
See more words from the same century