familiar

[fuh-mil-yer]

adjective

1. commonly or generally known or seen.

   a familiar sight.

2. well-acquainted; thoroughly conversant.

   to be familiar with a subject.

3. informal; easygoing; unceremonious; unconstrained.

   to write in a familiar style.

4. closely intimate or personal.

   a familiar friend; to be on familiar terms.

5. unduly intimate; too personal; taking liberties; presuming.

   The duchess disliked familiar servants.

   Synonyms: bold, forward

6. domesticated; tame.

7. of or relating to a family or household.

noun

1. a familiar friend or associate.

2. familiar spirit. Witchcraft and Demonology.,  a supernatural spirit or demon, often in the form of an animal, supposed to serve and aid a witch or other individual.

3. Roman Catholic Church.

   1. an officer of the Inquisition, employed to arrest accused or suspected persons.

   2. a person who belongs to the household of the pope or of a bishop, rendering domestic though not menial service.

familiar

/ fəˈmɪlɪə /

adjective

1. well-known; easily recognized

   a familiar figure

2. frequent or customary

   a familiar excuse

3. acquainted

4. friendly; informal

5. close; intimate

6. more intimate than is acceptable; presumptuous

7. an archaic word for familial

noun

1. Also called: familiar spirit. a supernatural spirit often assuming animal form, supposed to attend and aid a witch, wizard, etc

2. a person, attached to the household of the pope or a bishop, who renders service in return for support

3. an officer of the Inquisition who arrested accused persons

4. a friend or frequent companion

Other Word Forms

• familiarly adverb
• familiarness noun
• nonfamiliar adjective
• nonfamiliarly adverb
• overfamiliar adjective
• overfamiliarly adverb
• prefamiliar adjective
• prefamiliarly adverb
• quasi-familiar adjective
• quasi-familiarly adverb
• ultrafamiliar adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of familiar¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Latin familiāris “of a household,” family, -ar ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of familiar¹

C14: from Latin familiāris domestic, from familia _family

Idioms and Phrases

see have a familiar ring.

Synonym Study

Familiar, confidential, intimate suggest a long association between persons. Familiar means well-acquainted with another person: a familiar friend. Confidential suggests a sense of mutual trust that extends to the sharing of confidences and secrets: a confidential adviser. Intimate suggests close acquaintance or connection, often based on interest, sympathy, or affection: intimate and affectionate letters.

Example Sentences

Driscoll tells anyone who will listen that he isn’t after the Pentagon chief’s job, two people familiar with his thinking said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It's muscle memory like touch-typing or driving a familiar route home.

Read more on BBC

What made the musical so fresh was the inventive manner in which Mr. Groff made his own personal affection for Darin a new and crucial ingredient in a familiar recipe.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“Pluribus” may be the only Latin most Americans are familiar with, assuming they ever looked closely at a coin; it’s the “many” portion of the unofficial American motto that translates to “Out of many, one.”

Read more on Salon

He and his advisers wondered if officials had mixed up the two schools, people familiar with the matter said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• intimate 
• mundane 
• recognizable www.thesaurus.com
• simple 
• usual