extended family

American  

[ik-sten-did fam-uh-lee, fam lee] / ɪkˈstɛn dɪd ˈfæm ə li, ˈfæm li /

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.

2. (loosely) one's family conceived of as including aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, and sometimes close friends and colleagues.

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extended family British  

noun

1. sociol anthropol a social unit that contains the nuclear family together with blood relatives, often spanning three or more generations

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extended family Cultural  

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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Etymology

Origin of extended family

First recorded in 1940–45

Compare meaning

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

• nuclear family vs. extended family

Example Sentences

They’re also at times footing the bill for their extended family.

From Barron's • May 27, 2026

She also recommended creating a caregiving plan early, involving siblings or extended family when possible, and protecting time for the marriage itself.

From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026

Roughly four decades ago, members of the extended family made a journey in the opposite direction.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

Living in a “compound household” with extended family felt “oppressive” to him, and he felt more at home in New York City, his son recounts.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

She ate the same thing every day, except for Mondays, when she packed leftovers from Sunday dinner with her extended family.

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows

Related Words

• nuclear family