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Familar or familiar?

Did you mean familiar? Here's the right spelling and how to remember it.

Incorrect

familar

Correct

familiar

Letter by letter
CorrectWrong

Correct spelling: familiar. Misspelling: familar.

letters the misspelling gets wrong or leaves out letters that shouldn't be there

Memory tip

Keep the I before -ar: famil-IAR.

Why people write “familar”

The misspelling “familar” is only one letter off: it leaves out the I.

Spell-checkers catch the mistake in a document, but not in a handwritten note, a text message or a word game. Writing the word out a few times while saying the tricky part aloud is the quickest way to make familiar automatic.

Other misspellings of “familiar”

People also write “familier”. Here is where each one goes wrong.

“familier”

Letter by letter
CorrectWrong

Correct spelling: familiar. Misspelling: familier.

letters the misspelling gets wrong or leaves out letters that shouldn't be there

The misspelling “familier” is only one letter off: it writes E where familiar has A.

What does “familiar” mean?

familiar noun

  1. a person attached to the household of a high official (as a pope or bishop) who renders service in return for support
  2. a friend who is frequently in the company of another

    “drinking companions”

    Synonyms:companioncomradefellowassociate

  3. a spirit (usually in animal form) that acts as an assistant to a witch or wizard

    Synonyms:

familiar adjective

  1. well known or easily recognized

    “a familiar figure”

  2. within normal everyday experience; common and ordinary; not strange

    “familiar ordinary objects found in every home”

  3. (usually followed by `with') well informed about or knowing thoroughly

    “conversant with business trends”

    Synonyms:conversant

  4. having mutual interests or affections; of established friendship

    “on familiar terms”

    Synonyms:intimate

Definitions from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Full dictionary entry

“Familiar” in a sentence

  • The song sounds familiar.
  • Drinking companions.
  • A familiar figure.
  • Familiar ordinary objects found in every home.

Is “familiar” a playable word?

f 4a 1m 3i 1l 1i 1a 1r 1

13 points in Scrabble · 15 in Words With Friends

  • Scrabble (US)
  • Scrabble (UK)
  • Words With Friends

“familar” is not accepted in any of these games. See every word you can make from FAMILIAR.

Familiar: quick answers

Is it familar or familiar?
The correct spelling is familiar. “familar” is a misspelling: it does not appear in standard dictionaries or in the Scrabble and Words With Friends word lists. “familier” is wrong too.
How can I remember how to spell familiar?
Keep the I before -ar: famil-IAR.
What does familiar mean?
Familiar means: a person attached to the household of a high official (as a pope or bishop) who renders service in return for support.