From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishconnectionsconnections[plural] a) KNOW somebodypeople who you know who can help you, especially because they are in positions of power connections in high places We have good connections in the advertising industry. b) FAMILYpeople who are related to you, but not very closely He is English, but has Irish connections. the network of family connections in Italy → connection
Examples from the Corpus
family connections• It seemed odd to consider such a connection after so many years of feeling those family connections severed. 