stepfamily

Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

Related to stepfamily: blended family

step·fam·i·ly

(stĕp′făm′ə-lē, -făm′lē)

n. pl. step·fam·i·lies

A family with one or more stepchildren.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

stepfamily

(ˈstɛpˌfæmɪlɪ; ˈstɛpˌfæmlɪ)

n, pl -lies

a family created by a second union in which there are stepchildren or step-parents

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

step•fam•i•ly

(ˈstɛpˌfæm ə li, -ˌfæm li)

n., pl. -lies.

a family composed of a parent, a stepparent, and a child or children by a previous marriage.

[1965–70]

Translations

styvfamilj

Mentioned in ?

blended family

References in periodicals archive ?

Jessie, the character Wood started playing in the show's pilot at age 11, has already gone through the trauma of her parents' divorce, a bout with anorexia, and the uncomfortable formation of a stepfamily. Wood could relate to the divorce, since her own parents--who ran a theater company in Raleigh, N.C.--split when she was 9 (which was followed by a move with her mom and older brother to Los Angeles).

Age of innocence: how does Once and Again's Evan Rachel Wood describe her on-screen romance with another girl? "Beautiful". (television)

children under 18 are connected to a stepfamily, Pasley says.

CAN THE CHURCH GET IN STEP WITH STEPFAMILIES?

For some adolescents, the dynamics of living in a stepfamily adds another level of complexity.

ADOLESCENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF DISCIPLINE WITHIN INTACT FAMILIES AND STEPFAMILIES

Another excellent site offering advice to grandparents in a stepfamily situation is www.parentline.co.uk .

50 PLUS: Visit cyberspace for some advice on grandparenting

Regardless of the role women adopt, communication and time are the real keys to turning a new stepfamily relationship into a healthy family circle.

STEPFAMILIES OFTEN FIND MOM IN THE MIDDLE

It includes more than 100 cards for stepfamily members, adoptive families, single-parent families, extended and combined families.

Social expressions gains momentum

You could call the National Stepfamily Association for more advice on 0990 168388.

Stepfamily rows driving us apart; Dear Wendy agony column

Remarriage - about two-thirds of women and three-quarters of men remarry after divorce - solves some problems but not others: Though the income of a stepfamily is usually equivalent to that of a first marriage, children are "two to three times more likely to suffer emotional and behavior problems and nearly twice as likely to have developmental or learning problems as children in intact families"; stepchildren are also more likely to drop out of school, become unwed teen mothers, and have difficulty holding steady jobs as young adults.

The Divorce Culture: How Divorce Became an Entitlement and How It is Blighting the Lives of Our Children

After spending some time with Sequoyah and his stepfamily, Uwahali leaves with a new understanding of his fathers accomplishments.

Bruchac, Joseph. Talking Leaves

Stepping in, Stepping Out: Creating Stepfamily Rhythm

Being part of a stepfamily can be tricky for all at first, but this stepmother has been very accommodating to these two children - who are now adults - and ought to know better.

I FELT furious [...]

Meanwhile, you can find help through the National Stepfamily Resource Center (stepfamilies.info).