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

• belonging
• chumminess
• closeness
• inseparability
• intimacy
• nearness

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

Though he’s been working in omnivore restaurants, Castellón is himself a vegan and now uses his familiarity with live fire cooking to coax the produce that is the centerpiece of the menu to its peak potential. —Candice Woo, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 June 2025

In addition to familiarity with multiple Ducks from his Rangers tenure, Kreider has become close with Trevor Zegras during the latter’s ascent from amateur player to NHL lottery pick. —Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 12 June 2025

But even this new-media rise turns out to contain an old-Hollywood familiarity. —Nate Jones, Vulture, 6 June 2025

While this might be her first building project in the UK, as well as outside of Bangladesh , according to Tabassum, her familiarity with constructing for the present, rather than forever, is what made the project less daunting. —Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 5 June 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