First Known Use: circa 1586
Dictionary
mediocre
adjective me·di·o·cre \ˌmē-dē-ˈō-kər\
: not very good
Full Definition of MEDIOCRE
: of moderate or low quality, value, ability, or performance : ordinary, so-so
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Examples of MEDIOCRE
- They sensed that mediocre students like Roosevelt really did possess a set of virtues that needed to be protected and cherished. —David Brooks, New York Times Book Review, 6 Nov. 2005
- Of course, it could be that what Wesley has been through steeled his nerves and transformed him from a mediocre point guard into one of the fiercest shooters in the league with the game on the line. —Chad Millman, ESPN, 14 May 2001
- In short, they'd have to build a first-rate health-care system out of the shantytown's mediocre one—a system that would administer those drugs reliably and keep the patients' spirits up, because the second-line drugs are weak and have unpleasant side effects, which a patient has to endure for as much as two years. —Tracy Kidder, New Yorker, 10 July 2000
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Origin of MEDIOCRE
Middle French, from Latin mediocris, from medius middle + Old Latin ocris stony mountain; akin to Latin acer sharp — more at edge
Related to MEDIOCRE
- Synonyms
- common, fair, indifferent, medium, middling, ordinary, passable, run-of-the-mill, run-of-the-mine (or run-of-mine), second-class, second-rate, so-so
- Antonyms
- excellent, fine, first-class, first-rate, good, high-grade, superior, top-notch
Rhymes with MEDIOCRE
MEDIOCRE Defined for Kids
mediocre
adjective me·di·o·cre \ˌmē-dē-ˈō-kər\
Definition of MEDIOCRE for Kids
: not very good <That restaurant is just mediocre.>
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