familiar
Meaning
well known from long or close association
in close friendship; intimate
informal or intimate to an inappropriate degree
Structure
Usage
The streets of my hometown are familiar to me.
She spoke in a familiar tone, as if we were old friends.
The waiter was being overly familiar, which made the customers uncomfortable.
Etymology
The word 'familiar' originates from the Latin adjective familiaris, meaning 'of or belonging to the household or family'. This derives from familia, which referred to the entire household, including servants and relatives under one authority. The core semantic journey is from the literal, domestic sphere of the family to the figurative sense of close, intimate knowledge and association. Thus, something or someone 'familiar' is as well-known and comfortable to you as the members of your own household.
Analysis
famil (from Latin familia, meaning 'household, family'); iar (a variant of the Latin adjectival suffix -aris, meaning 'pertaining to, connected with').