family /famˈi-li/

1. The household, or all those who live in one house (eg parents, children and servants)
2. Parents and their children
3. The children alone
4. The descendants of one common ancestor
5. Race
6. Honourable or noble descent
7. A group of people related to one another, or otherwise connected
8. A group of animals, plants, languages, etc, often including more than one genus
9. A collection of curves in the equations of which different values are given to the parameter or parameters (mathematics)

1. Of or concerning the family
2. Belonging to or specially for a family
3. Suitable for the whole family, or for children as well as parents
4. Large enough for a whole family's needs, family-size

familˈial /fəm-/ adjective

Characteristic of a family

familˈiar adjective see separate entry

familism /famˈ/ noun

1. The tendency of a family to cohere as a group
2. (with cap) the principles of the Familists

Famˈilist noun

A member of the 16c mystical sect known as the Family of Love, which based religion upon love independently of faith

familisˈtic adjective

family allowance noun

An allowance formerly paid by the state for the support of children, now replaced by child benefit

family baker, butcher, etc noun

A small retailer who supplies individual families, not merely institutions

family Bible noun

A large Bible for family worship, with a page for recording family events

family circle noun

1. The members of the family taken collectively
2. One of the galleries in a theatre

family coach noun

1. Formerly, a large carriage able to carry a whole family
2. A parlour game

family credit noun

A former payment by the state to a family whose income from employment was below a certain level, replaced in 1999 by a system of income tax credits

family doctor noun

A general practitioner

family fruit tree or family tree noun

A fruit tree bearing different varieties of the same fruit grafted onto it

family grouping same as vertical grouping (see under vertical).

family income supplement noun

A payment by the state to a family whose income from employment is below a certain level

family jewels plural noun (usu joc)

1. Everything of value in a household
2. Testicles (slang)

family man noun

1. A man with a wife and children
2. A domesticated man
3. A man dedicated to, and who enjoys sharing activities with, his wife and children

• cowl-necked
• cowls
• cowl-staff
• cowl-staffs
• cowman
• cowmen
• co-worker
• co-workers
• cowp
• cow-parsley
• cow parsnip
• cow parsnips
• cowpat
• cowpats
• cowpea
• cowpeas
• cowped
• Cowper's glands
• cow-pilot
• cow-pilots
• cowping
• cow-plant
• cow-plants
• cowpoke
• cowpokes