Definition of: family

(fam′ə·lē, fam′lē) noun plural ·lies
1. A group of persons, consisting of parents and their children.
2. The children as distinguished from the parents.
3. A group of persons forming a household, including servants, etc.; a household.
4. A succession of persons connected by blood, name, etc.; a house, line; clan, tribe; race.
5. Distinguished or ancient lineage with its traditions; descent.
6. Biol. A taxonomic category higher than a genus; for animals, family names end in -idae, for plants, in -aceae.
7. Any class or group of like or related things.
8. Ling. A grouping of languages, such as Indo-European, assumed from certain shared characteristics, to be descended from a common parent: often subdivided into subfamily, branch, and group.
—adjective Of, belonging to, or suitable for a family. [<L familia family <famulus servant]