domestic

1 of 2

adjective

do·​mes·​tic də-ˈme-stik How to pronounce domestic (audio)
1
a
: living near or about human habitations
domestic vermin
b
: tame, domesticated
the domestic cat
2
: of, relating to, or originating within a country and especially one's own country
domestic politics
domestic wines
domestic manufacturing
all debts foreign and domestic
3
: of or relating to the household or the family
domestic chores
domestic happiness
4
: devoted to home duties and pleasures
leading a quietly domestic life
5
: indigenous
a domestic species
domestically adverb

domestic

2 of 2

noun

1
: a servant hired to work for a household
Her grandmother worked as a domestic.
2
: an article (such as a rug or blanket) manufactured within one's own country or for use in a household : an article of domestic (see domestic entry 1 sense 2) manufacture
usually used in plural

Examples of domestic in a Sentence

Adjective The company hopes to attract both foreign and domestic investors. the surest way to maintain domestic peace and harmony is to have everyone pitch in on chores Noun She got in a domestic with her husband. working as a team, the couple hired themselves out as domestics for wealthy homeowners
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
In a strange reversal of a longstanding trend with the Academy, this year’s documentary short ballot is almost entirely domestic (which is to say, films made by or about Americans), while the feature doc category — where subtitles aren’t so common — is entirely international. Peter Debruge, Variety, 10 Mar. 2024 The country has made technological self-sufficiency a national priority and Huawei’s efforts to advance domestic chip design and manufacturing have received the backing of Beijing. Cagan Koc, Fortune Asia, 8 Mar. 2024 The facility is located not far from the international and domestic airports, which have been targeted by gangs since last week. Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024 The twin referendums are on deleting a reference to women’s domestic duties and broadening the definition of the family. Michael Kealy and Jill Lawless, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Mar. 2024 This willingness to frame a national political battle as a conflict between good and evil concerns experts on violent domestic extremism. Will Carless, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024 Our culture devalues the domestic work of parenting at almost every level. Meghan Leahy, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 The carrier increased fees for both the first and second checked bags by $5 for most domestic flights originating in the United States and on short-haul international routes, Delta confirmed to Travel + Leisure. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 6 Mar. 2024 But by last year, US sales at GM, Ford and Fiat Chrysler successor Stellantis had fallen by 47% to 6.1 million vehicle and only 39% of the domestic auto market. Chris Isidore, CNN, 27 Feb. 2024
Noun
Doubt eventually led to 2011’s The Help, an adaptation of the 2009 Kathryn Stockett best-selling novel ostensibly about African American domestics working for white families in 1960s Mississippi. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2024 Art Kane: No one ever heard about it because … no one covers … DUIs and domestics, and that flew under the radar. Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2024 Work in auto plants provided an advancement for Black people who had been disproportionately restricted to such jobs as domestics, chauffeurs, custodians and farm laborers, according to Sugrue's report. Curtis Bunn, NBC News, 23 Sep. 2023 Yet many domestics appear basically indistinguishable from wildcats. Jonathan Losos, Discover Magazine, 10 Aug. 2023 His father was a shipping clerk for Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company and his mother worked as a domestic. Adam Bradley, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2023 In his 2020 memoir Let Love Rule, Lenny wrote that Roxie was raised in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, by her father Albert Roker, a Bahamian immigrant, and her mother, who was born in Georgia and worked as a domestic. Charlotte Walsh, Peoplemag, 14 Aug. 2023 Wiley claimed that the detainee in question was kin to one of his domestics. Time, 29 July 2023 Friday's happy hour specials include $3.50 domestics, $3.75 imports, $4.25 small house margaritas, $4.50 large rail drinks, $5 Cazadores Reposado and Patron Silver shots, and $6 Don Julio Blanco shots. Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 4 May 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'domestic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English, from Middle French domestique, from Latin domesticus, from domus — see dome entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of domestic was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near domestic

Cite this Entry

“Domestic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/domestic. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

domestic

1 of 2 adjective
do·​mes·​tic də-ˈmes-tik How to pronounce domestic (audio)
1
a
: living near or about the places where human beings live
domestic vermin
b
: living with or under the care of human beings : tame
a domestic cat
2
: of, relating to, made in, or done in one's own country
domestic steel
3
: of or relating to a household or family
domestic chores
domestically adverb

domestic

2 of 2 noun
: a household servant
Etymology

Adjective

from early French domestique "living around humans, domestic," from Latin domesticus (same meaning), from domus "house" — related to dome, domicile

Legal Definition

domestic

adjective
do·​mes·​tic də-ˈmes-tik How to pronounce domestic (audio)
1
: of or relating to the household or family
a domestic servant
domestic relations
see also family court
2
: of, relating to, or originating within a country or state and especially one's own country or state
the state has personal jurisdiction over domestic corporations
compare foreign, municipal

More from Merriam-Webster on domestic

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