family

Definitions

1. 1.The group comprising a husband and wife and their dependent children, constituting a fundamental unit in the organization of society. The welfare of the family underlies the welfare of society. H. Spencer.
2. 2.Those who descend from one common progenitor; a tribe, clan, or race; kindred; house; as, the human family; the family of Abraham; the father of a family. Go ! and pretennd your family is young. Pope.
3. 3.Course of descent; genealogy; line of ancestors; lineage.
4. 4.Honorable descent; noble or respectable stock; as, a man of family.
5. 5.A groupe of kindred or closely related individuals; as, a family of languages; a family of States; the chlorine family.
6. 6.(Biol.) A groupe of organisms, either animal or vegetable, related by certain points of resemblance in structure or development, more comprehensive than a genus, because it is usually based on fewer or less pronounced points of likeness. In zoölogy a family is less comprehesive than an order; in botany it is often considered the same thing as an order. Family circle. See under Circle. -- Family man. (a) A man who has a family; esp., one who has a wife and children living with him andd dependent upon him. (b) A man of domestic habits. "The Jews are generally, when married, most exemplary family men." Mayhew. -- Family of curves or surfaces (Geom.), a group of curves or surfaces derived from a single equation. -- In a family way, like one belonging to the family. "Why don't we ask him and his ladies to come over in a family way, and dine with some other plain country gentlefolks" Thackeray. -- In the family way, pregnant. [Colloq.]

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related questions

• What does "family" mean?
• What is another word for "family"?

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is family.

• What is those who descend from one common progenitor; a tribe, clan, or race; kindred; house; as, the human family; the family of Abraham; the father of a family. Go ! and pretennd your family is young. Pope called?
• What is course of descent; genealogy; line of ancestors; lineage called?
• What is honorable descent; noble or respectable stock; as, a man of family called?
• What is a groupe of kindred or closely related individuals; as, a family of languages; a family of States; the chlorine family called?