How to Pronounce Family

To pronounce "family", say FAM-ily — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈfæməɫi/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

family

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

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2

Syllables

6

Letters

/ˈfæməɫi/

🇺🇸 IPA (US)

/fˈæmɪli/

🇬🇧 IPA (UK)

💡 Tip for remembering “family”

"family" has 2 syllables: fam-ily. It rhymes with multifamily and subfamily, if that helps it stick.

What does family mean?

noun

  1. A group of people who are closely related to one another (by blood, marriage or adoption); kin; for example, a set of parents and their children; an immediate family.

    “Our family lives in town.”

  2. An extended family; a group of people who are related to one another by blood or marriage.

    “1915, William T. Groves, A History and Genealogy of the Groves Family in America”

adjective

  1. Suitable for children and adults.

    “It's not good for a date, it's a family restaurant.”

  2. Conservative, traditional.

    “The cultural struggle is for the survival of family values against all manner of atheistic amorality.”

noun

  1. A person belonging to a particular family; a close relative or relation.

Synonyms

flesh and bloodkinkinfolkfamilymember

Hear “family” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with family

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

multifamilysubfamilysuperfamilyamaliehamleybramleychamleegramleylamle

Related words

kinkinfolkkinsfolkkinspersonseptphratryhouseholdfellowship

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "family"?▾

"Family" has 2 syllables: fam · ily.

What is the IPA transcription of "family"?▾

The IPA transcription of "family" is /ˈfæməɫi/.

What does "family" mean?▾

Family: A group of people who are closely related to one another (by blood, marriage or adoption); kin; for example, a set of parents and their children; an immediate family.

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