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View synonyms for

extended family

[ ik-sten-did fam-uh-lee, fam lee ]

noun

  1. a kinship group consisting of a family nucleus and various relatives, as grandparents, usually living in one household and functioning as a larger unit. Compare immediate family ( def ), nuclear family ( def ).
  2. (loosely) one's family conceived of as including aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, and sometimes close friends and colleagues.


extended family

noun

  1. sociol anthropol a social unit that contains the nuclear family together with blood relatives, often spanning three or more generations
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

extended family

  1. A type of family in which relatives in addition to parents and children (such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins) live in a single household. A nuclear family forms the core of an extended family.
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Word History and Origins

Origin of extended family1

First recorded in 1940–45
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Compare Meanings

How does extended family compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

And it is not up to Meghan to cure prejudice, whether it's coming from the tabloids, randos on the internet, or her own extended family.

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In 1947, his father relocated the family to Lima — putting the boy at a remove from the extended family he loved.

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“I have a lot of friends and other extended family that will, for sure, come. So I have to scramble for some more tickets,” Rodman said.

From

A fourth-generation Angeleno, Mantle was born to teenage parents, an only child nurtured by an extended family that encouraged curiosity and independence.

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As the former wife of Donald Trump's eldest son, Vanessa had been a regular attendee at official events involving Trump's extended family during his first term in office.

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