nuclear family

American  

[noo-klee-er fam-uh-lee, fam lee, nyoo-] / ˈnu kli ər ˈfæm ə li, ˈfæm li, ˈnyu- /

noun

1. a social unit composed of two parents and one or more children.

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nuclear family British  

noun

1. sociol anthropol a primary social unit consisting of parents and their offspring Compare extended family

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nuclear family Cultural  

1. A type of family made up only of parents and their children. (Compare extended family.)

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Pronunciation

See nuclear ( def. ).

Etymology

Origin of nuclear family

First recorded in 1945–50

Compare meaning

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

• nuclear family vs. extended family

Example Sentences

Many Americans, research shows, find nuclear family structures isolating and insufficient, with some choosing to delay or avoid marriage.

From Los Angeles Times

“I grew up with a very nuclear family.”

From The Wall Street Journal

But the breakdown of the nuclear family may very well be.

From The Wall Street Journal

The author was born into a traditional nuclear family: father Carl was an entomologist and mother Margaret a dietitian/nutritionist; her brother Harold preceded her, and sister Ruth arrived a dozen years later.

From Los Angeles Times

The nuclear family is destroyed; the crime family is falling apart.

From The Wall Street Journal