family
/ˈfæməli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfæməli/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfam-lē ˈfa-mə-/ (ame, mw)
family — noun
- familysingular
- familiesplural
1. people who are tied to one another through birth, legal union, or legal care — p
people who are tied to one another through birth, legal union, or legal care — particularly mothers, fathers, and the kids they raise together.
Theo's family moved to Taiwan when he was eight years old.
family + singular verb
Every Sunday, the Salma family gathers for a big home-cooked meal.
Asher comes from a large family with four brothers and two sisters.
Sade's family has lived in that small village for over fifty years.
Andrei introduced his new partner to the whole family at the party.
- stranger
someone not related and not part of the group
文法句型
the + family + singular/plural verb
family of + number
用法筆記
Can be treated as singular or plural in British English: 'the family is' (as a unit) vs 'the family are' (as individuals). American English prefers the singular.
常見錯誤
2. a person's children, especially when they are young and living at home.
a person's children, especially when they are young and living at home.
Padma and her husband want to start a family next year.
start a family (begin having children)
Valentina put her career on hold to stay home and raise a family.
raise a family
The couple next door have a young family with three small kids.
Michael and Élise are hoping to bring up a family in the countryside.
文法句型
have/raise/bring up + a family
young family
start a family
用法筆記
This sense often appears in fixed phrases like 'start a family' or 'raise a family'. It is uncountable when referring to the concept of having children ('they want family'), but countable when referring to a specific set ('they have a large family').
常見錯誤
3. people not linked by blood who form very close ties through shared experiences,
people not linked by blood who form very close ties through shared experiences, values, or interests — for instance, coworkers who stand by each other in tough times, or members of a tight-knit community.
Indra considers her dance group a family because they have been through so much together.
considers [group] a family
Sora's teammates became like a second family when he moved to a new city.
like a family (metaphorical)
The church community felt like one big family to the newcomers.
Vinícius says his closest friends are his chosen family.
Salma's book club has become a real family to her over the years.
- community
broader, less emotionally intense; can be based on location
- clan
implies a tight-knit group with loyalty, but can sound old-fashioned
- fellowship
more formal, often used in religious or academic contexts
文法句型
a family of + noun
like family
用法筆記
Frequently used in the phrases 'like family' and 'chosen family' to emphasise emotional closeness without blood relation.
4. two grown animals and the babies they care for, living and moving together as a
two grown animals and the babies they care for, living and moving together as a unit.
A family of ducks waddled across the park path this morning.
a family of + animal
Asher watched a fox family playing outside their den at dusk.
Sade spotted a family of deer grazing in the field behind the house.
Theo photographed a lion family resting under an acacia tree.
文法句型
a family of + animal
[animal] family
5. a level in the scientific classification of living things, situated between genu
a level in the scientific classification of living things, situated between genus and order in the taxonomy system, grouping together organisms that share key characteristics.
Andrei learned that roses belong to the Rosaceae family.
the [name] family (scientific naming)
Botanists classify tomatoes and potatoes in the same plant family.
Lions, tigers, and house cats all belong to the cat family, Felidae.
The sunflower family includes over twenty thousand different species.
文法句型
the + [animal/plant] + family
family of + species
用法筆記
In scientific writing, family names are often capitalised and written in Latin (e.g. 'Felidae', 'Rosaceae'). Used with 'the' plus the common name ('the cat family') or the Latin name alone ('Felidae').
6. a set of related items, such as languages that developed from the same source, c
a set of related items, such as languages that developed from the same source, chemical elements with similar properties, or products sharing a brand name.
French, Spanish, and Italian all come from the same language family.
language family
The Suzuki family of cars includes several different models for city driving.
family of [products]
Indra studied the Germanic family of languages at university.
Élise's company launched a new family of skincare products last spring.
The noble gases form a family of elements that rarely react with others.
文法句型
a family of + noun
用法筆記
Common in specialist contexts: linguistics (language families), chemistry (families of elements), and marketing (product families).
family — adjective
- familypositive
- more familycomparative
- most familysuperlative
1. relating to or involving a family, especially in matters of home life, relations
relating to or involving a family, especially in matters of home life, relationships, and responsibilities.
Valentina is on family leave after the birth of her son.
family leave
The Watanabe family business has been running for three generations.
Sade hopes to achieve a good work-life balance and prioritise family time.
Padma keeps a family photo on her desk at the office.
The doctor asked about Michael's family history of heart disease.
文法句型
family + noun
用法筆記
Always used before a noun. Common compounds include 'family doctor', 'family business', 'family history', and 'family leave'.
常見錯誤
2. designed or appropriate for people of all ages, especially children and adults t
designed or appropriate for people of all ages, especially children and adults together — used for films, restaurants, entertainment, or holiday destinations.
The new animated film is a family comedy that parents can enjoy too.
family comedy
Indra booked a table at a family restaurant with a children's play area.
family restaurant
Vinícius took his kids to a family show at the local theatre on Saturday.
The hotel advertised itself as a family resort with activities for all ages.
Élise looks for family-friendly hiking trails when planning a weekend trip.
- family-friendly
more common in predicative use; same meaning but more informal
- child-friendly
focuses on suitability for children, not necessarily all ages
- adult-only
not suitable for children
文法句型
family + noun (film/restaurant/show)
用法筆記
Often paired with words for entertainment or services: 'family film', 'family restaurant', 'family holiday'. The compound 'family-friendly' is very common and can be used predicatively ('the movie is family-friendly').