|
  • Search Results
  • Advanced Search
  • List Builder
  • Random Word

ordinary

Something ordinary is something that happens every day. Maybe you should skip your ordinary breakfast and try something new.

Although we often use the adjective ordinary to mean "ho-hum, nothing special," it actually comes from the Latin root for "rule." You could think of ordinary things as almost like rules in your life. As a noun it has other meanings. In heraldry (that's the art of the family shield), an ordinary is a conventional figure. A probate judge is called an ordinary, as is the clergyman who prepares prisoners for death.

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: ordinary

1
 adjn
lacking special distinction, rank, or status; commonly encountered
the expected or commonplace condition or situation
2
 n
a judge of a probate court
3
 n
a clergyman appointed to prepare condemned prisoners for death
4
 n
(heraldry) any of several conventional figures used on shields
5
 n
an early bicycle with a very large front wheel and small back wheel
FULL DEFINITIONS OF: ordinary
1

adj lacking special distinction, rank, or status; commonly encountered

“the ordinary (or common) man in the street”
Synonyms:
average
common
having no special distinction or quality; widely known or commonly encountered; average or ordinary or usual

adj not exceptional in any way especially in quality or ability or size or degree

“ordinary everyday objects”
“ordinary decency”
“an ordinary day”
“an ordinary wine”
Synonyms
common
having no special distinction or quality; widely known or commonly encountered; average or ordinary or usual
usual
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
average, fair, mediocre, middling
lacking exceptional quality or ability
banausic
(formal) ordinary and not refined
characterless, nondescript
lacking distinct or individual characteristics; dull and uninteresting
common
to be expected; standard
commonplace
completely ordinary and unremarkable
cut-and-dried, cut-and-dry
according to ordinary expectations
everyday, mundane, quotidian, routine, unremarkable, workaday
found in the ordinary course of events
indifferent, so-so
being neither good nor bad
mine run, run-of-the-mill, run-of-the-mine, unexceptional
not special in any way
Antonyms:
extraordinary
beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable
uncommon
not common or ordinarily encountered; unusually great in amount or remarkable in character or kind
unusual
not usual or common or ordinary
incomparable, uncomparable
such that comparison is impossible; unsuitable for comparison or lacking features that can be compared
impressive
making a strong or vivid impression
bonzer
remarkable or wonderful
exceeding, exceptional, olympian, prodigious, surpassing
far beyond what is usual in magnitude or degree
extraordinaire
extraordinary in a particular capacity
fantastic, grand, howling, marvellous, marvelous, rattling, terrific, tremendous, wonderful, wondrous
extraordinarily good or great ; used especially as intensifiers
phenomenal
exceedingly or unbelievably great
awful, frightful, terrible, tremendous
extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact
great
remarkable or out of the ordinary in degree or magnitude or effect
one
used informally as an intensifier
preternatural, uncanny
surpassing the ordinary or normal
pyrotechnic
suggestive of fireworks
rare, uncommon
marked by an uncommon quality; especially superlative or extreme of its kind
remarkable, singular
unusual or striking
some
remarkable
special
for a special service or occasion
wonderworking
performing or able to perform wonders or miracles
superior
of high or superior quality or performance
show more antonyms...

n the expected or commonplace condition or situation

“not out of the ordinary”
Type of:
condition
a mode of being or form of existence of a person or thing
2

n a judge of a probate court

Type of:
judge, jurist, justice
a public official authorized to decide questions brought before a court of justice
3

n a clergyman appointed to prepare condemned prisoners for death

Type of:
clergyman, man of the cloth, reverend
a member of the clergy and a spiritual leader of the Christian Church
4

n (heraldry) any of several conventional figures used on shields

Types:
bend, bend dexter
diagonal line traversing a shield from the upper right corner to the lower left
fess, fesse
(heraldry) an ordinary consisting of a broad horizontal band across a shield
bar sinister, bend sinister
a mark of bastardy; lines from top right to bottom left
Type of:
armorial bearing, bearing, charge, heraldic bearing
heraldry consisting of a design or image depicted on a shield
5

n an early bicycle with a very large front wheel and small back wheel

Synonyms:
ordinary bicycle
Type of:
bicycle, bike, cycle, wheel
a wheeled vehicle that has two wheels and is moved by foot pedals
Learn Launch
WORD FAMILY
USAGE EXAMPLES