What does "domestic" mean?
A maid or household servant.
Domestic
/dəˈmɛs.tɪk/ adj, noun, slang
adj, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A maid or household servant.
- Grammar: domestic is listed as adj, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: american wars for independence, anchoritic, autochthonous, backyard.
- Useful contrasts: global, alien environment, alien land.
- Usage evidence: Smoking is now banned on all domestic plane flights.
How to use "domestic"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "domestic" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "domestic" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "domestic" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "domestic" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "domestic" is acting as adj, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "american wars for independence" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "domestic", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A maid or household servant.
"It ſeems, the Minds of theſe People are ſo taken up with intenſe Speculations, that they neither can ſpeak, nor attend to the Diſcourſes of others, without being rouzed by ſome external Taction upon the Organs of Speech and Hearing; for which reaſon, thoſe Perſons who are able to afford it always keep a Flapper (the Original is Climenole) in their Family, as one of their Domeſticks, nor ever walk abroad or make Viſits without him."
- 2 a servant who is paid to perform menial tasks around the household wordnet
- 3 A domestic dispute, whether verbal or violent. colloquial, informal
"2005, Bellingham-Whatcom County Commission Against Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence in Whatcom County (read on the Whatcom County website athttps://web.archive.org/web/20060618212243/http://www.co.whatcom.wa.us/boards/dv_whatcom042505.pdf on 20 May 2006) - The number of “verbal domestics” (where law enforcement determines that no assault has occurred and where no arrest is made), decreased significantly."
Adjective
- 1 Of or relating to the home.
- 2 Of or relating to activities normally associated with the home, wherever they actually occur.
"domestic violence; domestic hot water"
- 3 Kept by someone, for example as a farm animal or a pet.
"It shall be the duty of any owner or person in charge of any domestic animal or animals."
- 4 Internal to a specific country.
"domestic terrorism"
- 5 Tending to stay at home; not outgoing.
"“Dan’s not as domestic as you," I commented rather nastily."
Adjective
- 1 produced in a particular country wordnet
- 2 of concern to or concerning the internal affairs of a nation wordnet
- 3 of or involving the home or family wordnet
- 4 converted or adapted to domestic use wordnet
- 5 of or relating to the home wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Smoking is now banned on all domestic plane flights."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "domestic"?
Common synonyms include: american wars for independence, anchoritic, autochthonous, backyard, basic social unit, civil.
How do you use "domestic" in a sentence?
Smoking is now banned on all domestic plane flights.
How do you pronounce "domestic"?
Pronounced /dəˈmɛs.tɪk/.
Etymology
From Middle French domestique, from Latin domesticus, from domus (“house, home”).