familiarity

/fəˌmɪliˈærəti/ (bre, ipa) · /fəˌmɪliˈærəti/ (ame, ipa) · /fə-ˌmi-lē-ˈ(y)er-ə-tē -ˈ(y)a-rə-; -ˌmil-ˈyer-, -ˌmil-ˈya-rə-/ (ame, mw)

familiarity — noun

1. the condition of knowing someone or something well through repeated contact, or

1.名詞B2
釋義

the condition of knowing someone or something well through repeated contact, or recognizing them quickly because they do not feel new to you

例句

Darius showed strong familiarity with the safety rules on his first day.

familiarity with [rules / topic]

Years abroad never erased Sirin's familiarity with the old neighborhood streets.

同義詞
  • knowledge

    broader and can include facts learned without personal contact

  • acquaintance

    often suggests a lighter or less complete degree of knowing

  • recognition

    focuses on identifying something rather than knowing it in depth

反義詞
  • unfamiliarity

    lack of knowledge or recognition because something is new

文法句型

familiarity with [topic / place / person]

have familiarity with [something]

gain familiarity with [something]

用法筆記

This sense often appears with 'with' when you mean knowledge gained from repeated contact or experience. It can also describe the recognizable feeling that a face, sound, or place is not new to you.

常見錯誤

❌My familiarity to Linux is limited.
✅My familiarity with Linux is limited.
💡This noun usually takes 'with', not 'to'.
❌I have familiarity about the new system.
✅I have some familiarity with the new system.
💡Use 'with' for the thing you know well.

2. easy, friendly behaviour that shows little formality or distance between people

2.名詞C1
釋義

easy, friendly behaviour that shows little formality or distance between people

例句

Valentina spoke to the shop owner with a warmth and familiarity everyone noticed.

with warmth and familiarity

Christopher's sudden familiarity with the judge made the courtroom go quiet.

familiarity with [person]

同義詞
  • informality

    more neutral and emphasizes the lack of ceremony

  • ease

    suggests relaxed behaviour without always implying closeness

  • casualness

    focuses on a relaxed style rather than a relationship

反義詞
  • formality

    careful, socially proper behaviour that keeps distance

  • reserve

    a controlled manner that avoids easy closeness

文法句型

an air of familiarity

show familiarity toward [someone]

familiarity in [tone / manner]

用法筆記

This sense describes the way people act, speak, or write to each other. It may be pleasant in close relationships, but in formal situations it can suggest that someone is behaving with too little distance.

常見錯誤

❌His familiarity to the professor felt rude.
✅His familiarity with the professor felt rude.
💡Use 'with' when describing overly easy behaviour toward someone.

3. a close, warm relationship in which people know each other very well and feel fu

3.名詞C1
釋義

a close, warm relationship in which people know each other very well and feel fully at ease together

例句

Years of travel together created deep familiarity between Élise and Folake.

familiarity between [people]

Their shared jokes showed a familiarity that outsiders could not miss.

a familiarity that...

同義詞
  • intimacy

    stronger and often more emotionally private

  • closeness

    a more general word for a warm personal bond

  • friendship

    names the relationship itself, not just the feeling inside it

反義詞
  • distance

    emotional or social separation between people

  • estrangement

    a broken or cold relationship after former closeness

文法句型

familiarity between [people]

a familiarity that grows from [shared experience]

用法筆記

This sense focuses on the relationship itself, not simply on a relaxed manner. It is more about lasting closeness between people than about how politely they speak in one moment.