extended family

noun

: 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

Examples of extended family in a Sentence

their extended family includes a grandmother and widowed aunt
Recent Examples on the Web Between careers, development, extended family, etc., there are so many factors that require clear and compassionate communication; these cards are a great first step. Meghan Leahy, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 And her extended family has been closer than ever, spending time in New York City as Kotb’s mother, Sameha, 87, recovers from a broken hip, across the street from her apartment. Charlotte Triggs, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 The pasta house and pizzeria sits just down the road from Folsom Lake College, while extended family member Frank Gianni Jr. owns Papa Gianni’s Ristorante in Cameron Park. Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 29 Feb. 2024 Cruise’s three sisters and other members of his extended family also joined him at the headquarters during lockdown. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2024 Thirty-seven members of his extended family had been killed in an Israeli air strike on a Palestinian refugee camp. USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2024 Whether you’re known to entertain or have a big extended family, this nine-piece wicker dining set can stand up to the challenge and can accommodate as many as eight people. Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Feb. 2024 People forged close ties with large, extended families and their neighbors, often depending on one another. Ben Hubbard, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024 The Israeli military blocked off the house in Hebron with razor wire earlier this month, penning in around 20 members of the extended family. Sufian Taha, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'extended family.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1935, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of extended family was circa 1935

Dictionary Entries Near extended family

Cite this Entry

“Extended family.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extended%20family. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

extended family

noun
: a family that includes parents and children and other relatives (as grandparents, aunts, or uncles) in the same household

Medical Definition

extended family

noun
: a family that includes in one household near relatives in addition to a nuclear family

More from Merriam-Webster on extended family

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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