Link Centre Dictionary

familiar

fa·mi·liar

UK/fəˈmɪl.i.ə/ US/fəˈmɪl.jəɹ/ common

adjective

1.

well known or easily recognized

  • “a familiar figure”
  • “familiar songs”
  • “familiar guests”
2.

within normal everyday experience; common and ordinary; not strange

  • “familiar ordinary objects found in every home”
  • “a familiar everyday scene”
  • “a familiar excuse”
  • “a day like any other filled with familiar duties and experiences”
3.

(usually followed by `with'') well informed about or knowing thoroughly

  • “conversant with business trends”
  • “familiar with the complex machinery”
  • “he was familiar with those roads”
Synonyms
Similar
4.

having mutual interests or affections; of established friendship

  • “on familiar terms”
  • “pretending she is on an intimate footing with those she slanders”
Synonyms
Similar

noun

1.

a person attached to the household of a high official (as a pope or bishop) who renders service in return for support

2.

a person who is frequently in the company of another

  • “drinking companions”
  • “comrades in arms”
3.

a spirit (usually in animal form) that acts as an assistant to a witch or wizard

Origin

From Middle English familiar, familier, from Latin familiāris (“pertaining to servants; pertaining to the household”). By surface analysis, family + -ar. Piecewise doublet of familial. Displaced native Old English hīwcūþ.

Phrases

  • familiar fraud
  • familiar stranger
  • on familiar ground

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

See also

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.