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:
Canada will abandon efforts to compel foreign streamers to make mandatory financial contributions to the domestic entertainment industry, according to a court filing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
In 2022-23 they qualified for the Champions League and did so again in 2024-25, as well as winning their first major domestic trophy in 70 years.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
Policymakers could strike a less “dovish” tone, however, given the stronger-than-expected 1.5% quarter-on-quarter expansion in Mexico’s gross domestic product in the second quarter, Capital Economics economist Kimberley Sperrfechter said in a note.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
That said, Renault continues to execute well and it remains insulated from tariffs, capacity concerns and exposure to the domestic Chinese market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
It was a mass of vines and blooms that twisted sinisterly in the flame but sat, docile and domestic, in the moonlight.
From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline
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
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
"It's family, everyone who's here, domestics, carers, caterers, everybody, it's in here," she says, patting her heart.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2019
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.
