CEFR C1

language family

noun phrase

Meaning

A group of related languages that are believed to have descended from a common ancestral language, often called a proto-language.

Examples

Linguists are still debating the exact number of languages in the Indo-European language family.
The Austronesian language family is one of the largest in the world, spanning across Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and Madagascar.

Synonyms: linguistic group, language stock

Learn English that separates you from the crowd with Anaversity: private classes, Ani practice, Campus tools, and a public English-learning community.

language family (C1)

noun phrase

Pronunciation: /ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ ˈfæmɪli/

Definition

A group of related languages that are believed to have descended from a common ancestral language, often called a proto-language.

Examples

Linguists are still debating the exact number of languages in the Indo-European language family.
The Austronesian language family is one of the largest in the world, spanning across Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and Madagascar.
Understanding the historical connections within a language family helps explain similarities in grammar and vocabulary.

How to Use language family

language family (noun phrase): A group of related languages descended from a common ancestor. — "The Sino-Tibetan language family is the second-largest in the world by number of native speakers."

Synonyms of language family

Words with a similar meaning to language family:

Browse the full Anaversity dictionary