n. (pl. -ies) 1 a set of parents and children, or of relations, living together or not. 2 a the members of a household, esp. parents and their children. b a person's children. c (attrib.) serving the needs of families (family butcher). 3 a all the descendants of a common ancestor. b a race or group of peoples from a common stock. 4 all the languages ultimately derived from a particular early language, regarded as a group. 5 a brotherhood of persons or nations united by political or religious ties. 6 a group of objects distinguished by common features. 7 Math. a group of curves etc. obtained by varying one quantity. 8 Biol. a group of related genera of organisms within an order in taxonomic classification. family allowance Brit. a former name for child benefit. family credit (or income supplement) (in the UK) a regular payment by the State to a family with an income below a certain level. Family Division (in the UK) a division of the High Court dealing with adoption, divorce, etc. family man a man having a wife and children, esp. one fond of family life. family name a surname. family planning birth control. family tree a chart showing relationships and lines of descent. in the family way colloq. pregnant.
[ ME f. L familia household f. famulus servant ]