familiar
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fa·mil·iar (fə mil′yər)
adjective
- Archaic having to do with a family
- friendly, informal, or intimate to be on familiar terms
- too friendly; unduly intimate or bold; presumptuous
- having an intimate knowledge of; closely acquainted (with) familiar with the Bible
- well-known; common; ordinary a familiar sight
- domesticated: said of animals
Etymology: ME familier < OFr < L familiaris, of a household, domestic < familia, family
noun
- a close friend or associate
- Rare habitué
- Archaic an ecclesiastical servant or agent
- Folklore an evil spirit constantly attending someone and typically dwelling within an animal; also, the animal within which such a spirit dwells
Related Forms:
- familiarly fa·mil′·iarly adverb
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Alternate definitions:
familiar
modif.
Commonly known
everyday, well-known, customary, frequent, homely, humble, usual, intimate, habitual, accustomed, common, ordinary, oft-encountered, informal, unceremonious, plain, simple, matter-of-fact, workaday, prosaic, commonplace, homespun, natural, native, unsophisticated, unvarnished, old hat*, garden variety*. * Friendly
close, intimate, confidential, casual, cordial, easy, informal, free-and-easy, unceremonious, presumptuous, presuming, forward, bold, overfamiliar, chummy*; see also intimate 1. See syn. study at common.
familiar is applied to that which is known through constant association, and, with reference to persons, suggests informality, or even presumption, such as might prevail among members of a family remain on familiar terms; close is applied to persons or things very near to one in affection, attraction, interests, etc. close friends; intimate implies very close association, acquaintance, relationship, etc. invited her intimate friends or suggests something of a very personal or private nature intimate letters; confidential implies a relationship in which there is mutual trust and a sharing of private thoughts, problems, etc. a confidential friendship
Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Preposition: with
- terminology: You do not need to be familiar with medical terminology.
Modifying Another Word
- strangely: They may be a long way from home, but the surroundings are strangely familiar: the honesty, the passion.
Modifies a noun
- surroundings: Care at Home Most people prefer to stay in their own home for as long as possible, living independently in familiar surroundings.
Used with adjective complement
- become: Students will become familiar with the database software package Microsoft Access.
The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.
Don't let us be familiar or fond, nor kiss before folks, like my Lady Fadler and Sir Francis: nor go to Hyde-Park together the first Sunday in a new chariot, to provoke eyes and whispers, and then never be seen there together again; as if we were proud of one another the first week, and ashamed of one another ever after Let usbe verystrangeandwell-bred: Let usbe asstrangeasif wehad beenmarried a great while, and aswell-bred as if we were not married at all.
Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Cite this page:
MLA Style
"familiar." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009
- Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
- <www.yourdictionary.com/familiar>
APA Style
familiar. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary
- Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/familiar
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