FAMILY

family,n.1. A group of persons connected by blood, by affinity, or by law, esp. within two or

three generations. 2. A group consisting of parents and their children. 3. A group of persons who

live together and have a shared commitment to a domestic relationship. See RELATIVE. —

familial,adj.

blended family.The combined families of persons with children from earlier marriages or

relationships.

extended family. 1. The immediate family together with the collateral relatives who make up

a clan; GENS. 2. The immediate family together with collateral relatives and close family friends.

immediate family. 1. A person’s parents, spouse, children, and siblings. 2. A person’s parents,

spouse, children, and siblings, as well as those of the person’s spouse. • Stepchildren and adopted

children are usu. immediate family members. For some purposes, such as taxes, a person’s

immediate family may also include the spouses of children and siblings.

intact family.A family in which both parents live together with their children.[Blacks Law 8th]