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

• domestics
  plural

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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• domestics
  plural

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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

domestic domestics

In the early days of the administration, the Bush team focused on domestic issues.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

Tesla is targeting a cost per mile of less than 30 cents for the Cybercab, less than that of domestic rivals.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026

While more total spending is done with clubs outside of England, the proportion of big-money domestic deals is now outstripping overseas transfers.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

Since the early 1970s, Steinem used her voice and influence to work toward legalizing safe abortions while championing survivors of rape and domestic violence and pushing for equal pay in the workplace.

From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2026

Later it would seem to Pearl that the Richardsons must have arranged themselves into a tableau for her enjoyment, for surely they could not always exist in this state of domestic perfection.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

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

Elaine and the domestics sat in these galleries to watch, and the two knights fought beneath them for a long time.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Related Words

• indigenous
• internal
• national