Family 
“a group of people who are related to each other, such
as a mother, a father, and their children”
Definition by Cambridge Dictionary 

Immediate Family 
The above definition of family suggest a close circle, known as immediate family. It 
could be said it is the nucleus, formed by ​Mother​ and F
​ ather​, followed by d
​ aughters​ and 
sons​. The last two can be collectively called ​siblings​. 

Other names we find in immediate families are Sister, Brother, Wife and Husband. ​It all 
depends on the perspective​. If you are a daughter, you call her mother, but for the 
father, she might be the​ wife​. If you are the mother, then the father is your h
​ usband​. 
Siblings call themselves ​sister​ and b
​ rother​.  

What is a ​family​?
The answer to the question “what does ​family​ mean?” is both difficult to answer and
highly subjective. The word has shifted its meaning considerably since it entered our
language. It currently contains many different senses, and in at least one of these
senses may signify different things to different people. The earliest uses of ​family
denoted ​“a group of persons in the service of an individual,”​ a sense that is now archaic.
Although this early meaning may seem far afield from the way that most of us use ​family
today, it is not surprising when we consider that the word comes from the Latin ​familia​,
which meant “household,” a designation that included both servants and relatives.

 
 2 
 
In modern use, ​family​ may refer to one of a number of different groups of people or things
collectively, such as chemical compounds, related languages, plants and animals, and people
who may or may not share ancestry. ​Family​ is often encountered in legal use, but even within
the jargon of the law it is not restricted to a single meaning. In many legal contexts ​family
denotes “individuals related by blood, marriage, or adoption,” but in others the definition may be
somewhat broader, encompassing groups of individuals not related by these things.

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary 

Extended family 
● Grandparents: Grandmother - Grandfather 
● Grandchildren: Granddaughter - Grandson 

● Aunt  ● Uncle 
● Niece  ● Nephew 

In-laws 
● Mother-in-law  ● Father-in-law 

● Daughter-in-law  ● Son-in-law 

● Sister-in-law  ● Brother-in-law 
 

Mixed Families 
Stepmother  Stepfather 

Stepson  Stepdaughter 

Stepsister  Stepbrother 

Half-brother  Half-sister 

   

Today,  families  seem  more  like  a  group  of  people  who  share  their  lives,  but  still 
relationships  are  a  way  to  understand  liaisons  and  chronological  history.  A  family  tree 
may  explain  a  lot  about  yourself  and  you  links  in  the  family,  however  it  might  be  a 
difficult  conversation  in  some  cases.  Try your own family tree and discover some facts 
about your family. 

Prof. Lucy Chau