\Fam"i*ly\, n.; pl. {Families}. [L. familia, fr. famulus
servant; akin to Oscan famel servant, cf. faamat he dwells,
Skr. dh[=a]man house, fr. dh[=a]to set, make, do: cf. F.
famille. Cf. {Do}, v. t., {Doom}, {Fact}, {Feat}.]
1. The collective body of persons who live in one house, and
   under one head or manager; a household, including parents,
   children, and servants, and, as the case may be, lodgers
   or boarders.
2. The group comprising a husband and wife and their
   dependent children, constituting a fundamental unit in the
   organization of society.
         The welfare of the family underlies the welfare of
         society.                              --H. Spencer.
3. Those who descend from one common progenitor; a tribe,
   clan, or race; kindred; house; as, the human family; the
   family of Abraham; the father of a family.
         Go ! and pretend your family is young. --Pope.
4. Course of descent; genealogy; line of ancestors; lineage.
5. Honorable descent; noble or respectable stock; as, a man
   of family.
6. A group of kindred or closely related individuals; as, a
   family of languages; a family of States; the chlorine
   family.
7. (Biol.) A group of organisms, either animal or vegetable,
   related by certain points of resemblance in structure or
   development, more comprehensive than a genus, because it
   is usually based on fewer or less pronounced points of
   likeness. In zo["o]logy a family is less comprehesive than
   an order; in botany it is often considered the same thing
   as an order.
{Family circle}. See under {Circle}.
{Family man}.
   (a) A man who has a family; esp., one who has a wife and
       children living with him andd dependent upon him.
   (b) A man of domestic habits. ``The Jews are generally,
       when married, most exemplary family men.'' --Mayhew.
{Family of} {curves or surfaces} (Geom.), a group of curves
   or surfaces derived from a single equation.
{In a family way}, like one belonging to the family. ``Why
   don't we ask him and his ladies to come over in a family
   way, and dine with some other plain country gentlefolks?''
   --Thackeray.
{In the family way}, pregnant. [Colloq.]