domestic
gb/dəmˈɛstɪk/ us/dəmˈɛstɪk/
A2
English
~ 1500
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
Relating to the home or family
About the home or family.
Usage pattern:
[something] is domestic
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'domestic' with 'tame' when talking about animals; 'domestic' here refers to the home context, not animal behavior.
Synonyms
household (Refers specifically to things connected to running a home.)
Antonyms
foreign (Refers to something from another country or outside the home context.)
Collocations
domestic chores
|domestic life
|domestic violence
|domestic duties
|domestic setting
Themes
daily life
|family
|daily_life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She prefers domestic holidays instead of traveling abroad.
- Domestic chores can take up a lot of time.
- The movie explores domestic life in the 1950s.
- They hired help for domestic duties.
- Domestic violence is a serious social issue.
Learner examples
- I help my parents with domestic work.
- We have many domestic animals on the farm.
- Domestic life can be busy.
- He wants a domestic job near his home.
adjective
B2
property
2
Happening inside one country
Happening in one country, not in other countries.
Usage pattern:
[something] is domestic
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'domestic' with 'local'; 'local' is smaller in scope, while 'domestic' covers the whole country.
Synonyms
internal (More formal; used in administrative or political contexts.)
Antonyms
international (Involving two or more countries.)
Collocations
domestic policy
|domestic market
|domestic flights
|domestic production
Themes
politics
|business
|travel
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The government is focusing on domestic issues.
- Domestic flights are cheaper than international ones.
- The company dominates the domestic market.
- Domestic policies must adapt to global changes.
Learner examples
- This is a domestic flight in the USA.
- Domestic news is on the first page.
- We sell in the domestic market only.
- The domestic team won the game.
adjective
A2
property
3
Tamed for human use or companionship
Not wild; living with people and helping them or being their pet.
Usage pattern:
[animal] is domestic
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this with 'domesticated', which is the past participle form often used in scientific contexts.
Synonyms
tame (Describes an animal's behavior rather than its living arrangement.)
Antonyms
wild (Living in nature without human control.)
Collocations
domestic cat
|domestic dog
|domestic livestock
Themes
animals
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The domestic cat is one of the most popular pets in the world.
- Chickens are domestic birds kept for eggs and meat.
- Dogs were among the first domestic animals.
Learner examples
- A dog is a domestic animal.
- We have three domestic cats at home.
- Cows are domestic animals that give milk.
Noun
B2
entity
4
Person doing household work for pay
A person paid to work in someone’s house doing jobs like cleaning or cooking.
Synonyms
housekeeper (Specifically refers to someone managing cleaning and household organization.)
Antonyms
employer (The person hiring rather than performing household work.)
Collocations
employ a domestic
|live-in domestic
Themes
daily life
|employment
|work
|daily_life
|housing
Examples
- They hired a domestic to help with chores.
- The family's domestic had worked for them for many years.
- As a domestic, she handled all household duties.
Learner examples
- The domestic cleans the house every day.
- They have a domestic who cooks for them.
- Her mother works as a domestic in the city.
Grammar
Dictionary form
domestic
IPA
GB/dəmˈɛstɪk/
US/dəmˈɛstɪk/
Syllables & stress
do - mest - ic (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (mest)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: domestic
Noun
- Base: domestic
- Plural: domestics
Word family
Forms
domestics
noun
Core family
Related words
domesticated
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
undomesticated
adjective
foreign
adjective A2
Advanced or less common
domesticity
noun C1
Expressions
domestic flight
1/dəmˈɛstɪk flˈaɪt/
fixed phrase
Flight within one country
A plane trip that starts and ends in the same country.
Examples
- It’s usually faster to take a domestic flight than drive across the country.
- Domestic flights are often cheaper than international ones.
domestic market
1/dəmˈɛstɪk mˈɑɹkɪt/
fixed phrase
Market inside one country’s borders
The buying and selling of goods inside one country.
Examples
- The company dominates the domestic market for electronics.
- Strong consumer demand boosted the domestic market.
domestic policy
1/dəmˈɛstɪk pˈɑlɪsi/
fixed phrase
Government policy for internal affairs
Plans and actions of a government for problems inside its own country.
Examples
- The president focused on improving domestic policy during his first term.
- Economic growth is often influenced by domestic policy decisions.
domestic violence
1/dəmˈɛstɪk vˈaɪələns/
fixed phrase
Abuse within a household or family relationship
Violence or bad treatment between people in the same family or home, often between partners.
Examples
- Domestic violence is a serious crime that affects millions worldwide.
- The organization provides support for victims of domestic violence.
- The shelter provides support for survivors of domestic violence.
- Domestic violence is a serious crime that can happen in any community.