familiarity

[fuh-mil-ee-ar-i-tee, -mil-yar-]

noun

plural

familiarities 

1. thorough knowledge or mastery of a thing, subject, etc.

2. the state of being familiar; friendly relationship; close acquaintance; intimacy.

3. an absence of ceremony and formality; informality.

   Synonyms: unconstraint

4. freedom of behavior justified only by the closest relationship; undue intimacy.

   Synonyms: license, freedom, liberty

5. Often familiarities. an instance of such freedom, as in action or speech.

6. a sexual liberty or impropriety.

familiarity

/ fəˌmɪlɪˈærɪtɪ /

noun

1. reasonable knowledge or acquaintance, as with a subject or place

2. close acquaintanceship or intimacy

3. undue intimacy

4. (sometimes plural) an instance of unwarranted intimacy

Other Word Forms

• overfamiliarity noun
• prefamiliarity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of familiarity¹

1350–1400; Middle English familiarite (< Anglo-French ) < Latin familiāritās intimacy. See familiar, -ity

Example Sentences

It’s mostly been in chronological order, and sometimes just in the background while she’s working on something else but craving the show’s comforting familiarity.

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Yet when he spoke following the haphazard 2-1 Europa League defeat on Thursday, there was a enervating familiarity about how the Rangers head coach explained away the outcome.

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Later in the episode, he displays warmth flavored by familiarity with Jake as the two negotiate a payment plan to pay off the debt.

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This summer I visited the city where I always feel the flutter of familiarity.

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"Children like familiarity. So the more they become familiar with all these foods, the more likely they are to accept them."

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Related Words

• boldness 
• closeness 
• freshness www.thesaurus.com
• intimacy