2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Family  \Fam"i*ly\,  n.;  pl  {Families}.  [L.  familia,  fr  famulus 
  servant;  akin  to  Oscan  famel  servant,  cf  faamat  he  dwells, 
  Skr.  dh[=a]man  house,  fr  dh[=a]to  set  make  do:  cf  F. 
  famille.  Cf  {Do},  v.  t.,  {Doom},  {Fact},  {Feat}.] 
  1.  The  collective  body  of  persons  who  live  in  one  house,  and 
  under  one  head  or  manager;  a  household,  including  parents, 
  children,  and  servants,  and  as  the  case  may  be  lodgers 
  or  boarders. 
 
  2.  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. 
 
  3.  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  pretend  your  family  is  young.  --Pope. 
 
  4.  Course  of  descent;  genealogy;  line  of  ancestors;  lineage. 
 
  5.  Honorable  descent;  noble  or  respectable  stock;  as  a  man 
  of  family. 
 
  6.  A  group  of  kindred  or  closely  related  individuals;  as  a 
  family  of  languages;  a  family  of  States;  the  chlorine 
  family. 
 
  7.  (Biol.)  A  group  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  zo["o]logy  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.] 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  family 
  n  1:  a  social  unit  living  together;  "he  moved  his  family  to 
  Virginia";  "It  was  a  good  Christian  household";  "I 
  waited  until  the  whole  house  was  asleep";  "the  teacher 
  asked  how  many  people  made  up  his  home"  [syn:  {household}, 
  {house},  {home},  {menage}] 
  2:  primary  social  group  parents  and  children;  "he  wanted  to 
  have  a  good  job  before  starting  a  family"  [syn:  {family 
  unit}] 
  3:  a  collection  of  things  sharing  a  common  attribute;  "there 
  are  two  classes  of  detergents"  [syn:  {class},  {category}] 
  4:  people  descended  from  a  common  ancestor;  "his  family  had 
  lived  in  Masachusetts  since  the  Mayflower"  [syn:  {family 
  line},  {folk},  {kinfolk},  {kinsfolk},  {sept},  {phratry}] 
  5:  a  person  having  kinship  with  another  or  others  "he's  kin"; 
  "he's  family"  [syn:  {kin},  {kinsperson}] 
  6:  (biology)  a  taxonomic  group  containing  one  or  more  genera; 
  "sharks  belong  to  the  fish  family" 
  7:  an  association  of  people  who  share  common  beliefs  or 
  activities;  "the  message  was  addressed  not  just  to 
  employees  but  to  every  member  of  the  company  family";  "the 
  church  welcomed  new  members  into  its  fellowship"  [syn:  {fellowship}] 

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