Family and Relationships: English Vocabulary List

a person whom one knows but is not a close friend

"She is an acquaintance."

"I recognized the man from the gym, but he was only a casual acquaintance, not a close friend."

sexual intercourse involving a married person and someone other than their spouse

"The adultery destroyed their marriage."

"The public scandal involving adultery damaged the politician's reputation beyond repair permanently."

a blood relative who lived a long time ago, usually before one's grandparents

"An ancestor lived here."

"His ancestors immigrated to the United States from Ireland during the great potato famine in the middle of the nineteenth century."

the people from whom a person is descended

"She knows her ancestry well."

"Researching her ancestry revealed a fascinating lineage stretching back centuries."

(of a child or parent) related through adoption

"Her adoptive parents are nice."

"Her adoptive parents raised her with love and she has always considered them to be her real family."

representing or involving members of two different races

"He is biracial."

"The biracial child has one parent who is white and one parent who is black and he is proud of both heritages."

to have a secret romantic or sexual relationship with someone other than one's own partner

"He cheats on her."

"It is deeply hurtful when someone discovers their partner has chosen to cheat on them."

the end of a relationship or an association

"The breakup was painful."

"Their breakup was messy because neither wanted to move out of the apartment they shared together."

showing a level of love or care that one would only expect a brother to have

"He gave me brotherly advice."

"He gave me brotherly advice and told me to stay away from people who are not good for me."

someone or something that regularly keeps another company, providing friendship, support, or association

"She is a travel companion."

"The elderly woman adopted a dog to be her faithful companion after her husband passed away."

the delightful feeling that one has when accompanied by people one enjoys spending time with rather than being alone

"She enjoyed his companionship."

"She enjoys the good companionship of her close friends during difficult times."

a person who shares the responsibilities of raising a child

"They co-parent well."

"The co-parent attended the school meeting and discussed the child’s needs."

the perfect romantic partner for a person

"She believes he is her soulmate."

"Many people hope to meet a soulmate who understands them deeply."

to interact and spend time with people

"Teens socialize through social media."

"Many people use social media platforms to socialize with friends and family who live far away from them."

a person's family and relatives

"All my kin came to the reunion."

"She visited her close kin during the important family gathering last month."

one's closest living relative or relatives

"The hospital asked for her next of kin."

"The hospital asked the patient to name her next of kin in case of an emergency."

‌the process of raising or taking care of one's child or children

"Parenting is hard."

"Good parenting requires patience consistency and the ability to set firm but loving boundaries for children."

related to or characteristic of a mother and motherhood, especially during and following childbirth

"Her maternal grandmother visited."

"She has strong maternal instincts and always wants to take care of others."

the person one used to be married to or have a relationship with

"My ex called me."

"She ran into her ex at the supermarket and pretended not to see him while she quickly finished her shopping in another aisle."

a group of people who come together for a particular purpose, often because they share common interests or beliefs

"A band played music."

"The protest band rallied citizens around a common cause for social change."

a relationship between people or groups based on shared experiences, ideas, or emotions

"They formed a bond."

"The strong bond between the mother and her newborn baby began immediately after the child was born at the hospital."

a sexual relationship between two people in which at least one of them is already committed to someone else

"They had an affair."

"The affair caused a lot of gossip in the office."

someone who helps or supports someone else in certain activities or against someone else

"He is my ally."

"She found an unexpected ally in her colleague during the difficult project."

a subdivision or a group of members of an extended family sharing the same ancestors

"That is a branch."

"He traced his family back to a distant branch of the royal lineage."

a large group of people who are related to each other

"The Scottish clan gathered for the annual meeting."

"The Scottish clan gathered for a reunion wearing their traditional tartan kilts and playing bagpipes."

the feeling of understanding and friendship between people

"Brotherhood is important."

"The intense training fostered a strong sense of brotherhood among the soldiers."

(of two people) able to have a balanced and comfortable relationship

"They are compatible."

"Despite their different personalities, they proved to be highly compatible partners in business."

the legal right or responsibility to care for and make decisions regarding a child, especially after a divorce or separation

"The mother got child custody."

"The divorced parents share joint custody of their two children who spend weekends with each parent."

someone who shares the same blood with a specific person who lived many years ago

"She is a descendant."

"She claims to be a direct descendant of a famous king from the sixteenth century."

having a connection that is not close or direct, as in a remote familial or social relationship

"A distant cousin visited."

"She felt a distant connection to her grandmother, whom she had never met."

a bond or connection between people, organizations, etc.

"They have a tie."

"The economic crisis created a strong tie between the two neighboring countries."

the relationship between the members of a family

"They felt a strong kinship with each other."

"There is strong kinship between the two families that has lasted for many generations."

having qualities or behaviors typically associated with a father, particularly in a caring, supportive, or protective manner

"His paternal uncle helped."

"He gives paternal advice to his younger colleagues at work as if they were his children."

(of people) having a very close relationship

"They are intimate friends."

"They are intimate friends who share their deepest secrets and feelings with each other without fear of judgment."

to receive money, property, etc. from someone who has passed away

"She inherits a house from her grandmother."

"When his grandfather died he was surprised to inherit a large house and a considerable amount of money."

an individual's religious or ethnic background that is passed down to them from their ancestors

"This castle is our heritage."

"UNESCO designates a World Heritage site to a landmark or area with legal protection from an international convention for its outstanding cultural or natural importance."

limited to a particular person, group, or purpose

"This is an exclusive club."

"The exclusive club only accepted members who were invited by current members and the waiting list was several years long for those who hoped to join."

to interact and spend time with someone or a group of people

"They associate with artists."

"He tends to associate with people who share his ambitious goals and positive outlook on life."