Modern school

Family Vocabulary Pronunciation
121
Family Vocabulary Set 9: Other vocabulary


sibling rivalry – the feeling of competitiveness that often exists between brothers and sisters

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   There was huge sibling rivalry between my two brothers and they were always fighting but they are the best of friends now that they’re adults.
   

run in the family – a common feature in a family; something which is passed from parents to children

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   Artistic ability seems to run in the family.
   

hereditary – passed from the genes of a parent to a child

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   Diabetes is hereditary in our family so I make sure that I eat healthily and keep fit to lessen my chances of getting it.
   

childhood – the time when someone is a child

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   Many children in the world do not have a happy childhood.
   

family background – the details of a person's family regarding education, social status, etc.

- We want our son to marry a girl from a good family background.

family gathering / family get-together – an informal event where family members meet up

- We’re having a family get-together to celebrate my mother’s birthday. close-knit – involving groups of people in which everyone supports each other

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   We’re a close-knit family and know that we can rely on each other when one of us needs help.
   

family ties – the sense of connection between family members

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   Family ties aren’t as strong as they used to be in my country because relatives often live many miles apart and even in different countries.
   

to care for – to provide the things someone needs, especially someone who is young, old, or ill

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   In my country, sons and daughters are expected to care for their elderly parents.
   

a widow – a woman whose husband has died

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   Her husband died young and she has been a widow for almost thirty years now. a widower – a man whose wife has died
   

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   My mother died last year so my father is now a widower.
   

to desert – to leave someone without help or in a difficult situation and not come back

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   My father deserted us when I was young and my mother has brought me up on her own.