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Definition of familiarity noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

familiarity

noun
 
/fəˌmɪliˈærəti/
 
/fəˌmɪliˈærəti/
[uncountable, singular]Idioms
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  1. familiarity (with something) | familiarity (to somebody) the state of knowing somebody/something well; the state of recognizing somebody/something
    • His familiarity with the language helped him enjoy his stay.
    • When she saw the house, she had a feeling of familiarity.
    Extra Examples
    • I had only a basic familiarity with computers.
    • Over the years, he gained greater familiarity with the culture and way of life in the country.
    • The article assumes a basic familiarity with the main issues.
    • her detailed familiarity with her subject
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • greater
    • intimate
    • basic
    verb + familiarity
    • have
    • acquire
    • gain
    preposition
    • familiarity with
    phrases
    • a lack of familiarity
    See full entry
  2. a friendly informal manner
    • She addressed me with an easy familiarity that made me feel at home.
    • He treated her with the easy familiarity of an equal.
    Topics Personal qualitiesc2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • comfortable
    • easy
    See full entry
  3. Word OriginMiddle English (in the senses ‘close relationship’ and ‘sexual intimacy’): via Old French from Latin familiaritas, from familiaris ‘familiar, intimate’, from familia ‘household servants, family’, from famulus ‘servant’.
Idioms
familiarity breeds contempt
  1. (saying) knowing somebody/something very well may cause you to lose respect for them/it
See familiarity in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee familiarity in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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