domestic

American  

[duh-mes-tik] / dəˈmɛs tɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to the home, the household, household affairs, or the family.

   domestic pleasures.

2. devoted to home life or household affairs.

3. no longer wild; domesticated; tame.

   domestic animals.

4. of or relating to one's own or a particular country as apart from other countries.

   domestic trade.

5. indigenous to or produced or made within one's own country; not foreign; native.

   domestic goods.

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noun

1. a hired household servant.

2. something produced or manufactured in one's own country.

3. domestics, household items made of cloth, as sheets, towels, and tablecloths.

domestic British  

/ dəˈmɛstɪk /

adjective

1. of or involving the home or family

2. enjoying or accustomed to home or family life

3. (of an animal) bred or kept by man as a pet or for purposes such as the supply of food

4. of, produced in, or involving one's own country or a specific country

   domestic and foreign affairs

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noun

1. a household servant

2. informal (esp in police use) an incident of violence in the home, esp between a man and a woman

Other Word Forms

• antidomestic adjective
• antidomestically adverb
• domestically adverb
• nondomestic adjective
• nondomestically adverb
• predomestic adjective
• predomestically adverb
• semidomestic adjective
• semidomestically adverb
• undomestic adjective
• undomestically adverb

Etymology

Origin of domestic

First recorded in 1515–25; from Latin domesticus, derivative of domus “house” ( dome ); replacing domestique, from Middle French

Explanation

Domestic generally means relating to someone's family, home, or home country. Domestic work is work done in the home — a domestic is someone who works in a home, such as a nanny or a maid. Domestic is also used to refer to products that are produced in your country, or policies and affairs that relate to your country. And domestic animals, such as cats and dogs, are used to living with people. Domestic derives from Middle English, from Old French domestique, from Latin domesticus, from domus, "house."

Example Sentences

The MAS uses the exchange rate as a policy tool as trade flows dwarf Singapore’s domestic activity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

He is a top-level coach, but his players are struggling for regular starts in England's top domestic league, so wins might remain elusive.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

“Persian Gulf oil buyers may have to continue to rely on domestic storage and alternative supplies for another month, even if the flows were to start to ramp up in coming days,” they added.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

Patient volumes in the hospital network operator’s domestic and international segments have also been affected by factors including Thailand’s economic slowdown and the Thailand-Cambodian border dispute, the analyst says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

In fact, nationwide, most women on death row are awaiting execution for a family crime involving an allegation of child abuse or domestic violence involving a male partner.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Related Words

• indigenous
• internal
• national