familiarity

UK: /fəˌmɪliˈærɪti/

US: /fəˌmɪliˈærɪti, -mɪlˈjær-/

US: (fə mil′ē ar′i tē, -mil yar′-)

Inflections of 'familiarity' (n): npl: familiarities

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

fa•mil•i•ar•i•ty /fəˌmɪliˈærɪti, -mɪlˈyær-/   n. [uncountable]

1. thorough knowledge or mastery of something:
   his familiarity with sports cars.
2. the state of being familiar;
   friendly relationship;
   intimacy:
   has a familiarity with the mayor.
3. an absence of ceremony and formality;
   informality.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

fa•mil•i•ar•i•ty  (fə mil′ē ar′i tē, -mil yar′-), n., pl. -ties. 

1. thorough knowledge or mastery of a thing, subject, etc.
2. the state of being familiar;
   friendly relationship;
   close acquaintance;
   intimacy.
3. an absence of ceremony and formality;
   informality.
4. freedom of behavior justified only by the closest relationship;
   undue intimacy.
5. Often, familiarities. an instance of such freedom, as in action or speech.
6. a sexual liberty or impropriety.

• Latin familiāritās intimacy. See familiar, -ity
• Anglo-French)
• Middle English familiarite (1350–1400

Synonyms

• 3. unconstraint.
• 4. liberty, freedom, license.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

familiarity / fəˌmɪlɪˈærɪtɪ/ noun ( -ties)

1. reasonable knowledge or acquaintance, as with a subject or place
2. close acquaintanceship or intimacy
3. undue intimacy
4. (sometimes plural) an instance of unwarranted intimacy