familiar
/fə'miljə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Well known or easily recognized: Known from frequent or close association.
- Common and ordinary; not strange: Within normal, everyday experience.
- Having a good knowledge of something: (Usually followed by 'with') Well informed about or knowing thoroughly.
- Informal or intimate in manner: Characterized by a lack of formality or ceremony, sometimes excessively so.
Noun:
- A close friend or companion: A person who is frequently in the company of another.
- A spirit, often in animal form: In folklore, a spirit that acts as an assistant to a witch or wizard.
- A household attendant: A person attached to the household of a high official (e.g., a pope or bishop) who renders service.
Usage
Adjective:
- Use "familiar" to describe something commonly known or recognized. (a familiar face)
- Use "familiar" to describe an ordinary, everyday experience. (a familiar routine)
- Use "familiar with" to indicate personal knowledge or experience of a subject. (She is familiar with the software.)
- Use "familiar" to describe an informal, sometimes overly casual, attitude or behavior. (His familiar tone was considered rude.)
Noun:
- Use "familiar" to refer to a close associate. (He was a familiar of the artist.)
- Use "familiar" in the context of folklore and witchcraft. (The witch's familiar was a black cat.)
Examples
Adjective:
- The song had a familiar melody.
- We returned to the familiar surroundings of home.
- Are you familiar with the new safety procedures?
- The waiter was too familiar, addressing customers by nicknames.
Noun:
- The duke was always surrounded by his familiars.
- In the story, the sorcerer's familiar could speak.
Advanced Usage
On familiar terms: Having a relationship characterized by informality and intimacy.
- After years of collaboration, they were on familiar terms.
A familiar face: A person one knows or recognizes.
- It's nice to see a familiar face in a new city.
Variants and Related Words
Familiarity (n): Close acquaintance with or knowledge of something; relaxed friendliness or intimacy.
- His familiarity with the subject was impressive.
- She greeted him with easy familiarity.
Familiarize (v): To make (someone) acquainted with something.
- The orientation will familiarize you with the campus.
Unfamiliar (adj): Not known or recognized; novel.
- He was in an unfamiliar part of town.
Synonyms
- Adjective: Common, well-known, customary, acquainted, intimate, informal.
- Noun: Companion, associate, attendant, spirit.
Antonyms
- Adjective: Unfamiliar, unknown, strange, foreign, formal, distant.
Related Phrases
Familiar ground: A subject or situation one knows well.
- When they discussed history, he was on familiar ground.
Familiar spirit: Another term for a witch's or wizard's attendant spirit (noun sense).
- The old tale spoke of a witch and her familiar spirit.
Adjective
- having mutual interests or affections; of established friendship
- on familiar terms
- pretending she is on an intimate footing with those she slanders
- (usually followed by `with') well informed about or knowing thoroughly
- conversant with business trends
- familiar with the complex machinery
- he was familiar with those roads
- within normal everyday experience; common and ordinary; not strange
- familiar ordinary objects found in every home
- a familiar everyday scene
- a familiar excuse
- a day like any other filled with familiar duties and experiences
- well known or easily recognized
- a familiar figure
- familiar songs
- familiar guests
Noun
- a spirit (usually in animal form) that acts as an assistant to a witch or wizard
- a friend who is frequently in the company of another
- drinking companions
- comrades in arms
- a person attached to the household of a high official (as a pope or bishop) who renders service in return for support