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.

---

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

---

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.

---

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

Chamberlin and other advocates, see it as an opportunity to build protections for a broad group of people, such as immigrant households that depend on extended family members for child care and support.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

The story relates Laxman’s making as a demagogue, dwelling on the years in which he used his extended family as a kind of training ground for his megalomania.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

Ahmed al-Halabi, a father of two from the Dahieh area of south Beirut, fled with his extended family in the middle of the night as missiles struck nearby.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

In one scene, Sensei Sergio introduces Ferguson to his extended family -- and to some of the migrants he hides so they can avoid arrest.

From Barron's • Mar. 9, 2026

There were eight children in the extended family: a younger sister, Carine, with whom Chris was extremely close, and six half- brothers and sisters from Walt’s first marriage.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

Related Words

• nuclear family