Meaning & use
blood relatives
Last updated
Meanings
nounplural
People who are related to you by birth, not by marriage or adoption.
Grammar: Plural noun; for one person say 'a blood relative.'
Patterns
- someone's blood relatives
- close blood relatives
- distant blood relatives
Only blood relatives were allowed to visit him in the hospital.
She invited all her blood relatives to the family reunion.
In some cultures, blood relatives have special legal rights.
nouncountableformallaw
A person who shares a biological parent or ancestor with you.
Grammar: Singular form 'blood relative' is used when talking about one person.
Patterns
- a blood relative of someone
- a close blood relative
He is a blood relative of the famous writer.
The inheritance goes first to a blood relative.
Word forms
| singular | blood relative |
|---|
Common combinations
- close blood relatives
- Only close blood relatives were told the news.
- distant blood relatives
- He discovered some distant blood relatives in Canada.
- a blood relative of someone
- She is a blood relative of the king.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- blood relationship noun
- The state of being related by birth.
- relative noun
- A member of your family, by birth or marriage.
Commonly confused: blood relatives or relatives?
blood relatives vs relatives
A wider word that includes in-laws and stepfamily; 'blood relatives' means only those related by birth.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'blood relatives' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Blood relatives' is a plural noun for people related by birth, so it fits after 'only.' Option 0 wrongly includes in-laws, and options 1 and 3 use the wrong singular/plural form.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “blood relatives”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.