first family
Americannoun
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a family having the highest or one of the highest social ranks in a given place.
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(often initial capital letters) the family of the president of the U.S. or the family of the governor of a state.
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a family descended from a colonist or early settler in a country, region, etc..
one of the first families of Virginia.
Etymology
Origin of first family
An Americanism dating back to 1835–45
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
DIY Dad, as he is known online, started making videos while renovating his first family home in Ipswich, creating a series called Dad Showed Me.
From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026
The first family has expanded its reach across venture-capital firms, investment banks and others with a slew of new products in recent months.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025
It was Mr Kerry's first family holiday abroad, but he died within 36 hours of arriving.
From BBC • Dec. 31, 2024
The Johnsons are L.A.’s first family of basketball and now there’s a new era, as the first Johnson female has made her high school debut.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 2024
After we’d been together for a month, I took Adam home with me for his first family dinner with us.
From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.