parent noun A person's father or mother, or a person who raises and cares for a child. Both of her parents attended the school play to watch her perform. + mother noun A woman in relation to her child or children; a female parent. Her mother taught her how to bake bread when she was young. + father noun A man in relation to his child or children; a male parent. Her father taught her how to ride a bicycle in the park. + sibling noun A brother or sister; one of two or more children who share at least one parent. As the oldest sibling, she often looked after her younger brothers. + brother noun A male sibling who shares one or both parents with another person. My older brother taught me how to ride a bike when I was six. + sister noun A girl or woman who has the same parents, or one parent, as another person. My older sister taught me how to ride a bicycle when I was six. + spouse noun A person's husband or wife, considered in relation to their partner in marriage. Employees may add a spouse to their health insurance plan during open enrollment. + husband noun A man in relation to his spouse in a marriage. Her husband cooked dinner while she finished a work call. + wife noun A woman in relation to her spouse in a marriage. His wife met him at the airport after his long trip abroad. + grandparent noun A parent of one's father or mother; a grandmother or grandfather. All four grandparents came to watch her graduate from college. + grandmother noun The mother of one's father or mother. My grandmother bakes a fresh apple pie every single Sunday afternoon without fail. + grandfather noun The father of one's father or mother. My grandfather taught me how to fish when I was six years old. + grandchild noun A child of one's son or daughter. My grandmother spoils every grandchild who visits her on Sundays. + aunt noun The sister of one's mother or father, or the wife of one's uncle. My aunt always brings homemade pie to our family gatherings. + uncle noun The brother of one's mother or father, or the husband of one's aunt. My uncle taught me how to fish when I was only six years old. + cousin noun A child of one's aunt or uncle, or more broadly a relative descended from a common ancestor. My cousin flew in from Chicago to celebrate the holidays with us. + nephew noun The son of one's brother or sister, or of one's spouse's sibling. My nephew just turned ten and already plays chess better than I do. + niece noun The daughter of one's brother or sister, or of one's spouse's sibling. My niece is starting college in the fall and wants to study biology. + in-law noun A relative connected to someone through marriage rather than by blood, such as a spouse's parent or sibling. My mother-in-law visits every Sunday and always brings homemade bread. + stepmother noun The wife of one's parent, when that person is not one's biological mother. His stepmother baked him a cake for his birthday every year without fail. + stepfather noun The husband of one's parent, when that person is not one's biological father. Her stepfather walked her down the aisle at the wedding. + stepsibling noun A child of one's stepparent from a previous relationship, related by marriage rather than blood. After the wedding, she gained two stepsiblings close to her own age. + twin noun One of two children born to the same mother at the same time, from a single pregnancy. The twins looked so alike that even their teachers struggled to tell them apart. + relative noun A person connected to another by blood, marriage, or adoption; a family member. Several relatives traveled from out of state for the wedding reception. + ancestor noun A person from whom one is descended, typically more distant than a grandparent. Her ancestors emigrated from Ireland to Boston during the great famine of the 1840s. + descendant noun A person who is related to someone who lived in an earlier generation. She is a direct descendant of one of the ship's original passengers. + household noun All the people who live together in one home, considered as a unit. Every member of the household helped prepare for the holiday dinner. + guardian noun A person who protects, cares for, or is legally responsible for someone unable to care for themselves. Her aunt became her legal guardian after her parents passed away in the accident. + generation noun All the people born and living around the same time, or a single stage in a family's or technology's development. Her grandparents' generation lived through both the Great Depression and World War II. + extended adjective Made longer in duration, distance, or scope than what is usual or original. They took an extended vacation, staying nearly a month instead of one week. +