Definition

A family that includes one or more children from a previous relationship of one or both parents.

Example

After the marriage, they became a stepfamily with three children from previous marriages.

Conversation

Have you met my stepfamily yet?

No, I haven't. Are they nice?

Yeah, they are really welcoming and fun to be around.

That sounds great! I’d love to meet them sometime.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Stepfamily → It is formed from "step" (from Old English "stæpe", meaning a step or degree) and "family" (from Latin "familia", meaning a household or family). The word "stepfamily" refers to a family formed by the marriage of one partner to someone who has children from a previous relationship, thus creating a new family structure that includes steps or degrees of relation.

Memory Tip

Think of 'step' as a degree of relationship and 'family' as a household. This helps you remember that a stepfamily is a family formed by taking a step into a new relationship.

Visually Confused Words