Relationship Dictionary

Someone from whom you are descended (parent, grandparent, etc.).

• Your great-great-grandmother is your ancestor.
• All your parents, grandparents, and earlier generations are your ancestors.

Your parent's sister, or your uncle's wife.

• Your mother's sister is your aunt.
• Your father's brother's wife is also your aunt.

Relationship by marriage rather than blood.

• Your spouse's family are relations by affinity.
• Your brother-in-law is related to you by affinity.

A relative on the father's side, descended from the same male ancestor.

• Your father's brother and his children are agnates.

A male sibling who shares one or both parents with you.

• Your parents' son is your brother.
• If you share both parents, you're full brothers. If you share one parent, you're half-brothers.

Your sibling's husband, your spouse's brother, or your spouse's sibling's husband.

• Your sister's husband is your brother-in-law.
• Your wife's brother is your brother-in-law.

Your parent by birth (genetic parent).

• Your biological mother is the woman who gave birth to you.

The biological parent who gave birth to or fathered you.

• Your birth parents are your genetic mother and father.

A line of descent traced through one's ancestors.

• Royal families often track their bloodline carefully.

Your son or daughter.

• Your daughter is your child.

A blood relative, especially on the mother's side.

• All your mother's relatives are cognates.

General term for relatives who share common ancestors but are not in a direct ancestral line.

• Your aunt's children are your cousins.

An ancestor shared by two or more people.

• First cousins share common ancestors: their grandparents.

Relatives who share common ancestors but are not in direct line (siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles).

• Your cousin is a collateral relative.

The state of being related by blood; kinship.

• First cousins have a close degree of consanguinity.

Your female child.

• Your female offspring is your daughter.

Your son's wife.

• Your son's wife is your daughter-in-law.

Someone who is descended from you (child, grandchild, etc.).

• Your grandchildren are your descendants.

Cousins whose parents are siblings married to another pair of siblings.

• If two brothers marry two sisters, their children are double first cousins.

The relationship between ancestors and descendants in a straight line.

• Your grandmother is in your direct line of ancestry.

Family beyond parents and siblings (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins).

• Your aunt and uncle are part of your extended family.

The practice of marrying within one's own tribe or social group.

• Some communities practice endogamy to preserve cultural traditions.

The practice of marrying outside one's own tribe or social group.

• Exogamy helps prevent genetic issues from inbreeding.

Your male parent.

• Your dad is your father.

Your spouse's father.

• Your wife's father is your father-in-law.

The child of your aunt or uncle. You share grandparents.

• Your mom's sister's son is your first cousin.
• Your father's brother's daughter is your first cousin.

Your parent's first cousin, or your first cousin's child.

• Your dad's first cousin is your first cousin once removed.
• Your first cousin's son is your first cousin once removed.

Your grandparent's first cousin, or your first cousin's grandchild.

• Your grandmother's first cousin is your first cousin twice removed.
• Your first cousin's granddaughter is your first cousin twice removed.

Someone who shares your great-great-great-grandparents. You are separated by 4 generations from your common ancestors.

• Your great-great-great-grandmother's other descendants are your fourth cousins.

Someone who shares your great-great-great-great-grandparents.

• Very distant cousins who share ancestors 6 generations back.

Someone who cares for a child temporarily without legal adoption.

• Foster parents provide homes for children in need.

A diagram showing family relationships in a tree structure.

• You can map your ancestors on a family tree.

Relating to brothers or a brotherly relationship.

• Fraternal twins are siblings born at the same time.

A level in a family tree. Each parent-child step is one generation.

• You and your siblings are one generation, your parents are the next generation up.

Your child's child.

• Your son's daughter is your granddaughter (a type of grandchild).

Your child's daughter.

• Your daughter's daughter is your granddaughter.

Your parent's father.

• Your mother's father is your grandfather.

Your parent's mother.

• Your father's mother is your grandmother.

Your parent's parent.

• Your mom's parents are your grandparents.

Your child's son.

• Your son's son is your grandson.

Your grandparent's sibling.

• Your grandmother's sister is your great-aunt.

Your grandchild's child.

• Your grandson's daughter is your great-granddaughter.

Your grandparent's parent.

• Your grandmother's mother is your great-grandmother.

Your great-grandparent's parent.

• Your great-grandmother's father is your great-great-grandfather.

Your great-grandchild's child.

• Your great-granddaughter's son is your great-great-grandson.

Your niece or nephew's child. Same as grand-niece/grand-nephew.

• Your niece's son is your great-nephew.

Your niece or nephew's child. Also called great-niece/great-nephew.

• Your nephew's daughter is your grand-niece.

Someone legally responsible for a child who is not the child's parent.

• If your parents can't care for you, a guardian may be appointed.

A person who sponsors a child at baptism and may help guide their religious upbringing.

• Your godmother is a special family friend chosen by your parents.

The study of family history and lineage.

• Genealogy helps you discover your ancestry.

Someone who shares one parent with you.

• If you have the same mother but different fathers, you are half-siblings.

A male who shares one parent with you.

• Your father's son from another relationship is your half-brother.

A female who shares one parent with you.

• Your mother's daughter from another relationship is your half-sister.

A relative by marriage rather than blood.

• Your spouse's parents are your in-laws.

Your closest relatives: parents, siblings, spouse, and children.

• Your parents and siblings are your immediate family.

The state of being related by blood or marriage.

• Kinship ties connect you to your extended family.

A person in direct line of descent: child, grandchild, great-grandchild.

• Your daughter's daughter is your lineal descendant.

Direct descent from an ancestor.

• Your lineage traces back to your great-great-grandparents.

Your female parent.

• Your mom is your mother.

Your spouse's mother.

• Your husband's mother is your mother-in-law.

The female head of a family or tribe.

• Your grandmother might be considered the matriarch of your family.

Related through your mother's side of the family.

• Your mother's parents are your maternal grandparents.

Tracing descent through the mother's line.

• In matrilineal societies, inheritance passes through the female line.

Your sibling's son, or your spouse's sibling's son.

• Your brother's son is your nephew.

Your sibling's daughter, or your spouse's sibling's daughter.

• Your sister's daughter is your niece.

A family unit consisting of parents and their children.

• You, your spouse, and your kids form your nuclear family.

A person's child or children.

• Your children are your offspring.

A child whose parents have died.

• Children without living parents are orphans.

Your mother or father.

• Your mom and dad are your parents.

The male head of a family or tribe.

• Your grandfather might be considered the patriarch of your family.

Related through your father's side of the family.

• Your father's parents are your paternal grandparents.

Tracing descent through the father's line.

• In patrilineal societies, surnames and inheritance pass through the male line.

A record of ancestry, especially of purebred animals or distinguished families.

• Noble families often have documented pedigrees.

The earliest known ancestor of a family line.

• Your progenitor might be an ancestor from centuries ago.

The number of generations between you and your cousin. "Once removed" means one generation apart.

• Your parent's first cousin is your first cousin once removed.
• Your first cousin's child is your first cousin once removed.
• Your grandparent's first cousin is your first cousin twice removed.

A person connected by blood or marriage.

• Your aunt is a relative.

The child of your parent's first cousin. You share great-grandparents.

• Your mom's first cousin's child is your second cousin.

Your parent's second cousin, or your second cousin's child.

• Your father's second cousin is your second cousin once removed.

Your grandparent's second cousin, or your second cousin's grandchild.

• Your grandmother's second cousin is your second cousin twice removed.

A brother or sister.

• Your parents' other children are your siblings.

A female sibling who shares one or both parents with you.

• Your parents' daughter is your sister.

Your sibling's wife, your spouse's sister, or your spouse's sibling's wife.

• Your brother's wife is your sister-in-law.

Someone who shares your 5×-great-grandparents.

• Extremely distant cousins who share ancestors 7 generations back.

Your male child.

• Your male offspring is your son.

Your daughter's husband.

• Your daughter's husband is your son-in-law.

Relating to sisters or a sisterly relationship.

• Sororal twins are female siblings born at the same time.

Your husband or wife.

• The person you married is your spouse.

Your step-parent's son from another relationship.

• Your stepmother's son is your step-brother.

Your spouse's child from another relationship.

• Your wife's daughter from a previous marriage is your step-daughter.

Your parent's husband (not your biological father).

• Your mother's new husband is your step-father.

Your parent's wife (not your biological mother).

• Your father's new wife is your step-mother.

Your parent's spouse who is not your biological parent.

• Your mom's new husband is your step-parent.

The child of your step-parent (no shared biological parents).

• Your stepfather's daughter from a previous marriage is your step-sister.

Your step-parent's daughter from another relationship.

• Your stepfather's daughter is your step-sister.

Someone who shares your great-great-grandparents. You are separated by 3 generations from your common ancestors.

• Your great-great-grandmother's other descendants are your third cousins.

Your parent's third cousin, or your third cousin's child.

• Your mother's third cousin is your third cousin once removed.

Your parent's brother, or your aunt's husband.

• Your father's brother is your uncle.

A woman whose spouse has died.

• After your grandfather died, your grandmother became a widow.

A man whose spouse has died.

• After your grandmother died, your grandfather became a widower.

The legal process of taking another person's child as your own.

• Through adoption, non-biological children become legal family members.

Your parent through legal adoption (not by birth).

• Your adoptive parents legally raised you as their child.

A family formed when parents with children from previous relationships marry.

• When your mom remarried, you became part of a blended family with step-siblings.

A group of families claiming descent from a common ancestor.

• Scottish clans share a common surname and ancestral territory.

Two people who share parenting responsibilities for a child, often after separation.

• After divorce, your parents became co-parents sharing custody.

The family you were born into (your parents and siblings).

• Your family of origin shapes your early life experiences.

Close friends and loved ones you consider family, regardless of blood ties.

• Your chosen family includes close friends who feel like siblings.