domestic
Americanadjective
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of or relating to the home, the household, household affairs, or the family.
domestic pleasures.
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devoted to home life or household affairs.
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no longer wild; domesticated; tame.
domestic animals.
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of or relating to one's own or a particular country as apart from other countries.
domestic trade.
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indigenous to or produced or made within one's own country; not foreign; native.
domestic goods.
noun
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a hired household servant.
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something produced or manufactured in one's own country.
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domestics, household items made of cloth, as sheets, towels, and tablecloths.
adjective
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of or involving the home or family
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enjoying or accustomed to home or family life
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(of an animal) bred or kept by man as a pet or for purposes such as the supply of food
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of, produced in, or involving one's own country or a specific country
domestic and foreign affairs
noun
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a household servant
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informal (esp in police use) an incident of violence in the home, esp between a man and a woman
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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antidomesticadjective
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nondomesticadjective
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predomesticadjective
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semidomesticadjective
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undomesticadjective
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antidomesticallyadverb
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domesticallyadverb
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nondomesticallyadverb
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predomesticallyadverb
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semidomesticallyadverb
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undomesticallyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of domestic
First recorded in 1515–25; from Latin domesticus, derivative of domus “house” ( see 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."
Vocabulary lists containing domestic
List 1
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Preamble to the U.S. Constitution (1787)
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"On Women's Right to Vote" by Susan B. Anthony
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The deal serves as a test of Ukraine’s ability to act as a domestic manufacturing base for sophisticated Western-designed weapons.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
"Supporters argue that the products have helped reduce capital outflows by giving South Korean investors domestic alternatives to overseas single-stock leveraged ETFs," he added.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
It is clear that the squad needs trimming after last season's 10th-place finish, particularly given Chelsea can play a maximum of 51 matches if they reach both domestic cup finals.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Instead, the tournament has helped lift domestic consumer spending in such cities as Philadelphia, according to Bank of America data.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Anthony refused to allow Stanton to be swallowed by her domestic duties.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
In December 1927, it cautioned young women "to become a good cook before you marry, darling. Then you will be competent to rebuke a staff of domestics or to dispense with one".
From BBC ● Apr. 15, 2025
As a result, these consumers flocked to imports like Corona and Heineken, as well as domestics like Budweiser, and, yes, Bud Light.
From Slate ● Apr. 7, 2023
He expects us to get preoccupied with inflation and other domestics issues.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 21, 2022
A Black American cast as a master of 23rd Century intergalactic technology, her role defied the typical portrayal of Black women as domestics or entertainers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2022
But a handful of families would let their domestics keep their children with them, living in little maids’ quarters or flatlets in the backyard.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
