First Known Use: 13th century
Dictionary
1familiar
noun fa·mil·iar \fə-ˈmil-yər\
Definition of FAMILIAR
1
: a member of the household of a high official
2
: one who is often seen and well known; especially : an intimate associate : companion
3
: a spirit often embodied in an animal and held to attend and serve or guard a person
4
a : one who is well acquainted with something b : one who frequents a place
See familiar defined for kids Examples of FAMILIAR
- <a longtime familiar of the bar, she would most likely have been there on the night in question>
- <with old familiars the normally reserved writer can be quite warm and funny>
Origin of FAMILIAR
(see 2familiar)
Related to FAMILIAR
2familiar
adjective fa·mil·iar \fə-ˈmil-yər\
: frequently seen, heard, or experienced
—used to say that something is easy for you to recognize because you have seen, heard, or experienced it many times in the past
: possibly known but not clearly remembered
Full Definition of FAMILIAR
1
: closely acquainted : intimate <a familiar family friend>
3
4
a : being free and easy <the familiar association of old friends> b : marked by informality <a familiar essay> c : overly free and unrestrained : presumptuous <grossly familiar behavior> d : moderately tame <familiar animals>
5
a : frequently seen or experienced : easily recognized <a familiar theme> b : of everyday occurrence <a familiar routine> c : possibly known but imperfectly remembered <her face looked familiar>
6
: having personal or intimate knowledge —used with with <familiar with the facts of the case>
— fa·mil·iar·ly adverb
— fa·mil·iar·ness noun
See familiar defined for English-language learners
Examples of FAMILIAR
- The essay covers familiar ground.
- She has become a familiar figure in the world of politics.
- She spoke in a familiar way about her past.
- an essay written in a familiar style
- a familiar way of addressing someone
- They felt the waiter was being overly familiar.
- Some authors, such as Richard Rodriguez and Ruben Martinez, will be familiar to media mavens outside the region … —Ray Olson, Booklist, 15 Oct. 1996
- I think one reason I finally have finished a novel about baseball is that it happens to be one of the few subjects that I know much about. If I were as familiar with forestry, music, … or the city of Rotterdam, I am sure I would have written fiction grounded in that knowledge long ago. —Philip Roth, Reading Myself and Others, 1975
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Origin of FAMILIAR
Middle English familier, from Anglo-French, from Latin familiaris, from familia (see 1family)
First Known Use: 14th century
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