- 1[singular] a group consisting of one or two parents and their children the other members of my family Almost every family in the country owns a television. My whole family enjoys skiing. one-parent/single-parent families a family of four families with young children He's a friend of the family (= he is known and liked by the parents and the children). see blended family, nuclear family
- 2[singular, uncountable] a group consisting of one or two parents, their children and close relations The whole family came to Grandpa's eightieth birthday party. The support of family and friends is vital. We've only told the immediate family (= the closest relations). I always think of you as one of the family. (informal) She's family (= she is a relation). see extended family
- 3[countable] all the people who are related to each other, including those who are now dead Some families have farmed in this area for hundreds of years. This painting has been in our family for generations.
- 4[countable, uncountable] a couple's or a person's children, especially young children They have a large family. I addressed it to Mr. and Mrs. Jones and family. Do they plan to start a family (= have children)? to bring up/raise a family Topic CollocationsChildrenhaving a baby/child
- want (to have) a baby/a child/children/kids
- start a family
- conceive/be expecting/be going to have a baby/child
- miss your period
- become/get/ be/find out that you are pregnant
- have a baby/a child/kids/a son/a daughter/twins/a family
- have a normal/a difficult/an unwanted pregnancy; an easy/a difficult birth/labor
- be in/go into/induce labor
- have/suffer/cause a miscarriage
- give birth to a child/a baby/a daughter/a son/twins
- bring up/raise a child/a family
- care for/watch a baby/child/kid
- change a diaper/a baby
- nurse/feed/breastfeed/bottle-feed a baby
- be entitled to/go on maternity/paternity leave
- go back/return to work after maternity leave
- need/find/get a babysitter/high-quality, affordable childcare/a nanny
- balance/combine work and childcare/child-rearing/family (life)
- educate/teach/home-school a child/a kid/children
- punish/discipline/spoil a child/a kid/children
- adopt/foster a baby/a child/a kid/children
- offer a baby for/put a baby up for adoption
- be placed with/be raised by foster parents
- 5[countable] a group of related animals and plants; a group of related things, especially languages Lions belong to the cat family. the Germanic family of languages Idioms
(to be/become) pregnant
to be a common feature in a particular family Heart disease runs in the family.
Check pronunciation: family