familiarity

noun

fa·​mil·​iar·​i·​ty fə-ˌmi-lē-ˈ(y)er-ə-tē 

-ˈ(y)a-rə-;

-ˌmil-ˈyer-,

-ˌmil-ˈya-rə-

plural familiarities

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

Synonyms

• intimacy
• belonging
• kinship

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

Water, despite its familiarity, still hides phases and behaviors waiting to be uncovered. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2025

The familiarity is there as Jones gets ready for his first full season with the Panthers. —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2025

From the onset, Phalanx is a tale that upends our own familiarity with the Xenomorph by resetting the stakes involved in understanding and combatting them. —Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025

In another scene, wrestlers sit at a bar, celebrating Miguel’s birthday, cracking jokes, with the comfortable familiarity of people who feel accepted as part of their world. —John Hopewell, Variety, 20 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for familiarity

• angularity
• bipolarity
• capillarity
• cellularity
• circularity
• granularity
• insincerity
• insularity
• modularity
• osmolarity
• popularity
• regularity

Kids Definition

familiarity

noun

fa·​mil·​iar·​i·​ty fə-ˌmil-ˈyar-ət-ē 

-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