Looking up...
famille
/fa.mij/
family
Ma famille habite à Paris.
My family lives in Paris.
neutral
A group of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption, typically living together or connected by close ties.
Il a une grande famille avec cinq enfants.
He has a big family with five children.
La famille royale britannique est très célèbre.
The British royal family is very famous.
Can refer to immediate family (parents, siblings, children) or extended family (grandparents, cousins, etc.).
technical
A group with common origins or shared characteristics, especially in biology or taxonomy.
Le lion et le tigre appartiennent à la même famille des félins.
The lion and the tiger belong to the same family of felines.
In biology, 'famille' is a taxonomic rank below 'ordre' (order) and above 'genre' (genus).
general
A group of related things or people with shared attributes.
Cette entreprise fait partie de la famille des constructeurs automobiles allemands.
This company is part of the family of German car manufacturers.
Often used metaphorically to describe a group with shared traits or origins.
Collocations
chef de famillehead of the familyarbre généalogique de la famillefamily treevie de famillefamily life
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Gender Agreement
In French, 'famille' is feminine, so adjectives and articles must agree (e.g., 'une grande famille', 'la famille royale').
Gold Rule
Family vs. Household
In French, 'famille' emphasizes blood relations or close ties, while 'ménage' refers to a household (people living together, regardless of relation).
Word Origin
From Latin 'familia' (household, family), derived from 'famulus' (servant, slave) or 'fames' (hunger, famine) in older theories. Evolved through Old French 'famille' to modern French.
Usage Notes
In French, 'famille' can also refer to a household or a lineage. The term is gender-neutral and commonly used in both formal and informal contexts.
Dictionnaire Français-Anglais