fam
fam — noun
- famsingular
- famsplural
1. an informal word for the people you are related to, especially those in your own
an informal word for the people you are related to, especially those in your own household
Darius drove six hours to surprise his fam on New Year's Eve.
collocation: [possessive] fam
Nora's whole fam came to the airport holding signs and cheering.
Joaquín talks to his fam on video chat every Sunday without fail.
After the storm, Ingrid stayed with her fam until the power came back.
Femi's fam runs a small bakery that has been open for three generations.
- stranger
someone you have no connection to
用法筆記
Informal term used mainly in conversation, text messages, and social media. Avoid in formal writing such as academic essays, business correspondence, or official documents.
常見錯誤
2. a friend you are as close to as a relative, or the tight group of friends who fe
a friend you are as close to as a relative, or the tight group of friends who feel like your family
Mira calls her four oldest school friends her fam — they never lost touch.
pattern: call [people] [possessive] fam
Niran's teammates became his fam during the three months they spent on tour.
Brooke threw a rooftop dinner for her fam — the five friends who knew her best.
Xiu moved to a different city and slowly built a new fam around her.
Zola says you can choose your fam even when you cannot choose your relatives.
- bestie
usually refers to a single best friend rather than a group
- crew
more casual; can include acquaintances and is not always as intimate
- inner circle
more formal; suggests a trusted group with exclusive access or influence
- acquaintance
someone you know but are not close to
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (RELATIVES): here 'fam' refers to close friends treated as family, not to actual relatives. Context usually clarifies the meaning — if the sentence mentions friends, teammates, or roommates, sense 2 is intended.
3. a written short form used in place of the word 'familiar'
a written short form used in place of the word 'familiar'
In nineteenth-century dictionaries, 'fam.' marked words the reader was expected to know.
pattern: 'fam.' as abbreviation for 'familiar' in reference works
The editor pencilled 'fam.' beside every term that had already appeared in the chapter.
A glossary note explained that 'fam.' was short for 'familiar' throughout the text.
Rachel spotted 'fam.' in the margin of her grandfather's old medical textbook.
- familiar
the full written form; use in formal or general writing
4. a written short form standing for the word 'family'
a written short form standing for the word 'family'
The intake nurse wrote 'fam. history of asthma' on the top line of the form.
On the census return, the clerk recorded 'fam. size: 6' in neat handwriting.
The old marriage register used 'fam. name' instead of 'surname' in every entry.
Church records from the 1700s often shorten 'family' to 'fam.' to save paper.
- family
the full written form; use in formal or general writing