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

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Etymology

Origin of domestic

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

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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

The horror genre is bigger than ever, according to a San Francisco Chronicle report that says this year’s domestic box office reached nearly $1.3 billion as of the start of October.

From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2026

The carmaker has been expanding its overseas presence to diversify revenue sources and offset slowing domestic demand.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

While Australia's domestic league pays its players, money is much tighter in England's Women's Super League.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

Halle Berry’s efforts against ex-husband Olivier Martinez’s domestic violence restraining order have proved successful, after two weeks of hearings in Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026

Several were even provisioned with a broom—a cozy, domestic touch.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

TJ: My mother was the oldest of my grandmother’s nine children, so she was the one who went to work with my great-aunts when they were domestics.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2023

Yet many domestics appear basically indistinguishable from wildcats.

From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2023

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

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

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Related Words

• indigenous
• internal
• national

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