familiarity

noun

fa·​mil·​iar·​i·​ty fə-ˌmi-lē-ˈ(y)er-ə-tē How to pronounce familiarity (audio)
-ˈ(y)a-rə-;
-ˌmil-ˈyer-
-ˌmil-ˈya-rə-
plural familiarities
Synonyms of familiaritynext
1
a
: the quality or state of being familiar
b
: a state of close relationship : intimacy
2
a
: absence of ceremony : informality
b
: an unduly informal act or expression : impropriety
c
: a sexual liberty
3
: close acquaintance with something

Examples of familiarity in a Sentence

He spoke to everyone with the easy familiarity of an old friend. the elderly couple enjoys a familiarity that is the result of many years of happy marriage
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There's familiarity, too — Edwards and James were teammates on the 2024 Olympic roster, an experience that reportedly endeared James to the young superstar. Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 1 July 2026 Eric Wahl began the trek to his first in-person men’s World Cup match from the familiarity of Pioneer Square, a half-mile walk to Lumen Field in Seattle. Sam McDowell 1, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026 The familiarity shows in every combination, every overlapping run and every quick exchange around the penalty area. Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 So the familiarity of my story with John sometimes intruded into what was supposed to be this fairy tale. Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for familiarity

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of familiarity was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Familiarity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/familiarity. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

familiarity

noun
fa·​mil·​iar·​i·​ty fə-ˌmil-ˈyar-ət-ē How to pronounce familiarity (audio)
-ˌmil-ē-ˈar-
plural familiarities
1
: close friendship : intimacy
2
: lack of formality : freedom and ease in personal relations
3
: close acquaintance with or knowledge of something
4
: an overly bold act or expression

More from Merriam-Webster on familiarity

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster