familiar

adjective
UK: /fəˈmɪliər/
US: /fəˈmɪljər/

  1. Well known or easily recognized.

    1. His face is familiar, but I can't recall where I know him from. [ ] [ ]
    2. The smell of baking bread was familiar and comforting when I entered home. [ ] [ ]

  2. Having a good knowledge of something.

    1. I am familiar with the rules. [ ] [ ]
    2. She's familiar with all the latest software, so she's the best person to ask. [ ] [ ]

  3. Too informal; taking liberties.

    1. Don't get too familiar with me. [ ] [ ]
    2. His overly familiar attitude made me uncomfortable at the meeting. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

conversant acquainted known close intimate
familiar noun

  1. A close friend or family member.

    1. He looks like familiar. [ ] [ ]
    2. Among those at the gathering were both familiars and new acquaintances. [ ] [ ]

  2. (In folklore) a spirit or demon believed to attend and serve a witch, often in animal form.

    1. The witch's familiar was a black cat. [ ] [ ]
    2. Stories abound of witches and their familiars, aiding them in their dark magic. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "familiar" in English means: Well known or easily recognized., Having a good knowledge of something., Too informal; taking liberties..

The phonetic transcription of "familiar" is /fəˈmɪliər/ in British English and /fəˈmɪljər/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "familiar": conversant, acquainted, known, close, intimate.

Example usage of "familiar": "His face is familiar, but I can't recall where I know him from.". More examples on the page.