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Familiar

//fəˈmɪl.jɚ// adj, noun

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Known to one, or generally known; commonplace.

    "There’s a familiar face; that tune sounds familiar."

  2. 2
    Acquainted.

    "I'm quite familiar with this system; she's not familiar with manual gears."

  3. 3
    Intimate or friendly.

    "We are on familiar terms now; our neighbour is not familiar"

  4. 4
    Of or pertaining to a family; familial.

    "1822, Lord Byron, Werner familiar feuds"

Adjective
  1. 1
    having mutual interests or affections; of established friendship wordnet
  2. 2
    well known or easily recognized wordnet
  3. 3
    within normal everyday experience; common and ordinary; not strange wordnet
  4. 4
    (usually followed by ‘with’) well informed about or knowing thoroughly wordnet
Noun
  1. 1
    An attendant spirit, often in animal or demon form.

    "The witch’s familiar was a black cat."

  2. 2
    a spirit (usually in animal form) that acts as an assistant to a witch or wizard wordnet
  3. 3
    A member of one's family or household. obsolete
  4. 4
    a friend who is frequently in the company of another wordnet
  5. 5
    A member of a pope's or bishop's household.
Show 3 more definitions
  1. 6
    a person attached to the household of a high official (as a pope or bishop) who renders service in return for support wordnet
  2. 7
    A close friend. obsolete

    "[A] friend of mine, that finding a Receipt in Braſsivola, would needs take Hellebor in ſubſtance, & try it on his own perſon; but had not ſome of his familiars come to viſite him by chance, he had by his indiſcretion hazarded himſelfe; many ſuch I have obſerued."

  3. 8
    The officer of the Inquisition who arrested suspected people. historical

Etymology

Etymology 1

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.

Etymology 2

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.

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