Reading Theme:
Extended Family: Definition, Examples & Usage
Meaning 1：large family including relatives (extended family)
extended family
/ɪkˈstɛndɪd ˈfæmɪli/
n.
A large family that includes not just parents and children, but also grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.
large family including relatives
➕
/lɑːrdʒ ˈfæmɪli ɪnˈkluːdɪŋ rɪˈleɪtɪvz/
n.
A family unit that extends beyond the nuclear family (parents and children) to include other relatives such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
'Extended' from Latin 'extendere' (ex- 'out' + tendere 'stretch') meaning stretched beyond the nuclear unit.
💡 Mnemonic
Imagine an elastic band stretching to include grandparents, aunts, and cousins beyond just parents and children.
📖 Example
During Lunar New Year, my extended family gathers around a huge round table for a reunion dinner.
During Lunar New Year, my extended family gathers around a huge round table for a reunion dinner.
🔗 Collocations
close-knit extended family – A tightly bonded family group including multiple generations and relatives
extended family support – The emotional and practical help provided by a network of relatives beyond immediate parents and children
extended family reunion – A planned gathering that brings together all members of a large family, often including distant relatives
🔄 Synonyms
kinship group (n.) – A social group based on blood relationships, often including extended family members
clan (n.) – A group of people united by close kinship and common ancestry, often larger than a single extended family
relatives (n.) – People connected by blood or marriage, encompassing both immediate and extended family members
🚫 Antonyms
nuclear family (n.) – A family unit consisting only of parents and their children, without other relatives
immediate family (n.) – One's closest family members, typically parents, siblings, and children
📖 Cultural Story
The term gained prominence in mid-20th century sociology to describe multi-generational households common in many cultures, contrasting with the nuclear family ideal of Western post-war society.
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