famille

/fa.mij/
nounBeginner
formal

Family, group of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption

Ma famille est très importante pour moi.

My family is very important to me.

Nous avons passé les vacances en famille.

We spent the holidays with family.

💡

Can refer to nuclear family (parents and children) or extended family (grandparents, cousins, etc.).

informal

Group of related things or entities

Les roses font partie de la famille des plantes à fleurs.

Roses belong to the family of flowering plants.

💡

Used in biology, linguistics, and other fields to describe classifications.

Collocations

famille nombreuselarge familyfamille procheimmediate familyfamille élargieextended family

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

faire partie de la famillephrase
to be part of the family
famille recomposéephrase
blended family

💡Pro Tip

Gender Agreement

'Famille' is feminine, so adjectives must agree: 'une grande famille' (a large family).

Gold Rule

Plural Form

The plural 'familles' is used for multiple distinct family units, not for a single family's members.

📖Word Origin

From Latin 'familia', meaning 'household' or 'servants'.

📝Usage Notes

In French, 'famille' is often used in a broader sense than in English, sometimes including close friends or associates.

Word Breakdown

fam
household, group
root
+
-ille
collective suffix
suffix
Dictionnaire Français-Anglais