do·mes·tic
də-ˈme-stik 
1
a
: living near or about human habitations
domestic vermin
b
: tame, domesticated
the domestic cat
2
: of, relating to, or originating within a country and especially one's own country
domestic politics
domestic wines
domestic manufacturing
all debts foreign and domestic
3
: of or relating to the household or the family
domestic chores
domestic happiness
4
: devoted to home duties and pleasures
leading a quietly domestic life
5
: indigenous
a domestic species
1
: a servant hired to work for a household
Her grandmother worked as a domestic.
2
: an article (such as a rug or blanket) manufactured within one's own country or for use in a household : an article of domestic (see domestic entry 1 sense 2) manufacture
—usually used in plural
Synonyms
Examples of domestic in a Sentence
Adjective
The company hopes to attract both foreign and domestic investors.
the surest way to maintain domestic peace and harmony is to have everyone pitch in on chores
Noun
She got in a domestic with her husband.
working as a team, the couple hired themselves out as domestics for wealthy homeowners
Recent Examples on the Web
Patrick Frater, Variety, 14 Sep. 2023
Now, eastern coyotes, which predominate in states along the East Coast, spanning from Maine to Georgia and as far west as Ohio and West Virginia, have genomes that are, on average, 62 percent western coyote, 27 percent wolf, and 11 percent domestic dog.
—Paul Richards, Field & Stream, 14 Sep. 2023
North Korea, which bought licenses for Soviet weaponry in the 1960s, quickly began producing weapons at a huge scale not only for its considerable domestic demand following the Korean War armistice but also for international trade.
—Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2023
Sayers and others may have been better novelists, but Christie’s palette was uniquely vast and surprisingly fearless — from deeply domestic village murders to international conspiracies, often designed to remind us that the threat of fascism is always with us.
—Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2023
The average domestic ticket price has dropped by about $87 a ticket as summer demand wanes going into the slower fall travel season, according to travel company Hopper.
—Alexandra Skores, Dallas News, 13 Sep. 2023
Despite international sanctions and domestic economic hardship, North Korea operates one of the world’s largest standing armies and a vigorous defense industry.
—Paul Sonne, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Sep. 2023
And operating overseas bases exposes Beijing to other security risks, including becoming drawn into domestic conflicts in host countries.
—Brad Lendon, CNN, 2 Sep. 2023
The Department of Transportation reported that domestic airlines transported 188,223 animals last year, of which seven died.
—Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, 2 Sep. 2023
Jonathan Losos, Discover Magazine, 10 Aug. 2023
His father was a shipping clerk for Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company and his mother worked as a domestic.
—Adam Bradley, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2023
In his 2020 memoir Let Love Rule, Lenny wrote that Roxie was raised in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, by her father Albert Roker, a Bahamian immigrant, and her mother, who was born in Georgia and worked as a domestic.
—Charlotte Walsh, Peoplemag, 14 Aug. 2023
Wiley claimed that the detainee in question was kin to one of his domestics.
—Time, 29 July 2023
Friday's happy hour specials include $3.50 domestics, $3.75 imports, $4.25 small house margaritas, $4.50 large rail drinks, $5 Cazadores Reposado and Patron Silver shots, and $6 Don Julio Blanco shots.
—Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 4 May 2023
The Beretta manages to look both overstyled and too plain inside, and all the domestics position the driver deep in the car behind a high cowl.
—Kevin Smith, Car and Driver, 4 Mar. 2023
Andrej was a manual laborer; Julia a domestic.
—Joan Acocella, The New Yorker, 1 June 2020
Small, isolated groups of Oriental domestics gradually acquired distinctive coat colors and other mutations through a process known as genetic drift, in which traits that are neither beneficial nor maladaptive become fixed in a population.
—Andrew C. Kitchener, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2015
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Adjective
In the movie, innocuous-seeming domestic equipment — from the humble suitcase to floor sweeping robots — run quietly amok.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 14 Sep. 2023
Now, eastern coyotes, which predominate in states along the East Coast, spanning from Maine to Georgia and as far west as Ohio and West Virginia, have genomes that are, on average, 62 percent western coyote, 27 percent wolf, and 11 percent domestic dog.
—Paul Richards, Field & Stream, 14 Sep. 2023
North Korea, which bought licenses for Soviet weaponry in the 1960s, quickly began producing weapons at a huge scale not only for its considerable domestic demand following the Korean War armistice but also for international trade.
—Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2023
Sayers and others may have been better novelists, but Christie’s palette was uniquely vast and surprisingly fearless — from deeply domestic village murders to international conspiracies, often designed to remind us that the threat of fascism is always with us.
—Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2023
The average domestic ticket price has dropped by about $87 a ticket as summer demand wanes going into the slower fall travel season, according to travel company Hopper.
—Alexandra Skores, Dallas News, 13 Sep. 2023
Despite international sanctions and domestic economic hardship, North Korea operates one of the world’s largest standing armies and a vigorous defense industry.
—Paul Sonne, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Sep. 2023
And operating overseas bases exposes Beijing to other security risks, including becoming drawn into domestic conflicts in host countries.
—Brad Lendon, CNN, 2 Sep. 2023
The Department of Transportation reported that domestic airlines transported 188,223 animals last year, of which seven died.
—Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, 2 Sep. 2023
Noun
Yet many domestics appear basically indistinguishable from wildcats.
—Jonathan Losos, Discover Magazine, 10 Aug. 2023
His father was a shipping clerk for Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company and his mother worked as a domestic.
—Adam Bradley, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2023
In his 2020 memoir Let Love Rule, Lenny wrote that Roxie was raised in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, by her father Albert Roker, a Bahamian immigrant, and her mother, who was born in Georgia and worked as a domestic.
—Charlotte Walsh, Peoplemag, 14 Aug. 2023
Wiley claimed that the detainee in question was kin to one of his domestics.
—Time, 29 July 2023
Friday's happy hour specials include $3.50 domestics, $3.75 imports, $4.25 small house margaritas, $4.50 large rail drinks, $5 Cazadores Reposado and Patron Silver shots, and $6 Don Julio Blanco shots.
—Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 4 May 2023
The Beretta manages to look both overstyled and too plain inside, and all the domestics position the driver deep in the car behind a high cowl.
—Kevin Smith, Car and Driver, 4 Mar. 2023
Andrej was a manual laborer; Julia a domestic.
—Joan Acocella, The New Yorker, 1 June 2020
Small, isolated groups of Oriental domestics gradually acquired distinctive coat colors and other mutations through a process known as genetic drift, in which traits that are neither beneficial nor maladaptive become fixed in a population.
—Andrew C. Kitchener, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2015
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'domestic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Noun
Middle English, from Middle French domestique, from Latin domesticus, from domus — see dome entry 1
First Known Use
Adjective
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun
1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of domestic was
in the 15th century
Phrases Containing domestic
Articles Related to domestic
Dictionary Entries Near domestic
Cite this Entry
“Domestic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/domestic. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
domestic
1 of 2 adjective
do·mes·tic
də-ˈmes-tik
1
a
: living near or about the places where human beings live
domestic vermin
b
: living with or under the care of human beings : tame
a domestic cat
2
: of, relating to, made in, or done in one's own country
domestic steel
3
: of or relating to a household or family
domestic chores
domestic
2 of 2 noun
: a household servant
Legal Definition
domestic
adjective
do·mes·tic
də-ˈmes-tik
1
: of or relating to the household or family
a domestic servant
domestic relations
see also family court
More from Merriam-Webster on domestic
Nglish: Translation of domestic for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of domestic for Arabic Speakers
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