# domestic

/dəˈmɛstɪk/ (US) · /dəmˈɛstɪk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/domestic
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. relating to the home

adjective · CEFR B1

relating to the home, house, or family life.

For teachers: relating to the household, the family, or the running of a home.

- They share the domestic chores like cooking and cleaning every evening.
- The shift in domestic roles has seen more men taking an active part in childcare and household management than in previous generations.

Usage: Often used before nouns like 'chores', 'life', or 'violence'.

### 2. within one country

adjective · CEFR B1

relating to your own country rather than foreign countries.

For teachers: existing or occurring inside a particular country; not foreign or international.

- The airline offers both domestic and international flights from this airport.
- The president focused his speech on domestic issues such as healthcare and education rather than foreign policy.

Usage: Common in business and political contexts to distinguish from 'international'.

### 3. tame animals

adjective · CEFR B2

an animal that lives with humans, like a pet or a farm animal.

For teachers: referring to an animal species that has been tamed and kept by humans for work, food, or companionship.

- Dogs were the first domestic animals to live alongside humans.
- The domestic cat retains many hunting instincts from its wild ancestors despite centuries of living in human households.

### 4. a household worker

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a person who is paid to work in someone else's home, like a cleaner or cook.

For teachers: a person employed to perform household tasks in a private residence.

- In the past, large houses required many domestics to keep them running.
- The legislation was designed to protect the rights of domestics and ensure they received a fair minimum wage.

Teaching tip: This noun use is somewhat dated or very formal; 'domestic worker' is more common in modern professional contexts.

### 5. a private argument

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal

a fight or argument between people who live together.

For teachers: a dispute or violent confrontation between family members or partners in a home.

- The police were called to the flat because of a loud domestic.
- Neighbors reported hearing a domestic next door, but the noise subsided before the authorities arrived.

Usage: Often used as a shorthand for 'domestic dispute' or 'domestic disturbance'.

## Examples

- The police arrived to handle a domestic next door.
- Neighbors called the authorities after hearing a loud domestic that lasted for several hours late Saturday night.
- While the term is frequently used in police radio shorthand to denote a domestic disturbance, social workers emphasize that such incidents often require specialized intervention beyond simple mediation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.