Familiar

/fəˈmɪl.jər/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A person or animal closely associated with another; a companion or intimate associate.

The old man kept a familiar by his side to ward off loneliness.

adjective

Well-known from long or close association.

The song was familiar to everyone at the party.

Having a good knowledge of something; well-informed.

He is familiar with the laws regarding copyright.

Friendly and informal; not reserved.

She spoke to him in a familiar tone, as if they were old friends.

Commonly known or recognized.

The familiar landmarks made it easy to navigate the city.

Middle English, from Latin 'familiaris' meaning 'of a household, domestic, intimate'.

familiar face

A person one recognizes.

familiar ground

A situation or topic one knows well.

familiar spirit

A spirit or entity that is believed to assist or accompany a person.

familiarity

Close acquaintance with someone or something.

familiarize

To make (someone) acquainted with something.

familiarization

The process of making someone familiar with something.

A term of endearment for someone close.

Hey fam, what's up?

Calling someone a 'fam' to indicate they are like family.

He's not just my friend; he's fam.