First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1ordinary
noun or·di·nary \ˈȯr-də-ˌner-ē\
plural or·di·nar·ies
Definition of ORDINARY
1
a (1) : a prelate exercising original jurisdiction over a specified territory or group (2) : a clergyman appointed formerly in England to attend condemned criminals b : a judge of probate in some states of the United States
2
often capitalized : the parts of the Mass that do not vary from day to day
3
: the regular or customary condition or course of things —usually used in the phrase out of the ordinary
4
a British : a meal served to all comers at a fixed price b chiefly British : a tavern or eating house serving regular meals
5
: a common heraldic charge (as the bend) of simple form
See ordinary defined for English-language learners
See ordinary defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Origin of ORDINARY
Middle English ordinarie, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin ordinarius, from Latin ordinarius, adjective
Rhymes with ORDINARY
actuary, adversary, airy-fairy, ancillary, antiquary, apiary, arbitrary, aviary, axillary, bacillary, beriberi, bestiary, biliary, black raspberry, Bloody Mary, boysenberry, breviary, budgetary, calamari, calamary, candleberry, Canterbury, capillary, carpellary, cassowary, catenary, cautionary, cavitary, cemetery, centenary, certiorari, checkerberry, chinaberry, cometary, commentary, commissary, condottiere, coralberry, corollary, coronary, culinary, customary, dictionary, dietary, dignitary, dromedary, dysentery, elderberry, emissary, estuary, farkleberry, February, formulary, fragmentary, fritillary, functionary, funerary, honorary, huckleberry, intermarry, janissary, January, lamasery, lapidary, lectionary, legendary, legionary, lingonberry, literary, loganberry, luminary, mammillary, mandatary, maxillary, medullary, mercenary, miliary, military, millenary, milliary, millinery, missionary, momentary, monastery, mortuary, necessary, ossuary, partridgeberry, pensionary, pigmentary, planetary, Pondicherry, prebendary, presbytery, pulmonary, quaternary, red mulberry, reliquary, rowanberry, salivary, salmonberry, salutary, sanctuary, sanguinary, sanitary, secondary, secretary, sedentary, seminary, silverberry, solitary, sour cherry, stationary, stationery, statuary, subcontrary, sublunary, sugarberry, sumptuary, syllabary, temporary, tertiary, thimbleberry, Tipperary, Tom and Jerry, topiary, tributary, tutelary, Typhoid Mary, unitary, urinary, vestiary, Virgin Mary, visionary, voluntary, vulnerary, Waterbury, whortleberry, winterberry
2ordinary
adjective
: normal or usual : not unusual, different, or special
: neither very good nor very bad : not very impressive
Full Definition of ORDINARY
2
: having or constituting immediate or original jurisdiction; also : belonging to such jurisdiction
3
a : of common quality, rank, or ability <an ordinary teenager> b : deficient in quality : poor, inferior <ordinary wine>
— or·di·nar·i·ly \ˌȯr-də-ˈner-ə-lē\ adverb
— or·di·nar·i·ness \ˈȯr-də-ˌner-ē-nəs\ noun
See ordinary defined for English-language learners
Origin of ORDINARY
Middle English ordinarie, from Latin ordinarius, from ordin-, ordo order
First Known Use: 15th century
Related to ORDINARY
- Synonyms
- average, common, commonplace, cut-and-dried (also cut-and-dry), everyday, garden-variety, normal, prosaic, routine, run-of-the-mill, standard, standard-issue, unexceptional, unremarkable, usual, workaday, par for the course
- Antonyms
- abnormal, exceptional, extraordinary, odd, out-of-the-way, strange, unusual
Synonym Discussion of ORDINARY
common, ordinary, plain, familiar, popular, vulgar mean generally met with and not in any way special, strange, or unusual. common implies usual everyday quality or frequency of occurrence <a common error> <lacked common honesty> and may additionally suggest inferiority or coarseness <common manners>. ordinary stresses conformance in quality or kind with the regular order of things <an ordinary pleasant summer day> <a very ordinary sort of man>. plain is likely to suggest homely simplicity <plain hard-working people>. familiar stresses the fact of being generally known and easily recognized <a familiar melody>. popular applies to what is accepted by or prevalent among people in general sometimes in contrast to upper classes or special groups <a writer of popular romances>. vulgar, otherwise similar to popular, is likely to carry derogatory connotations (as of inferiority or coarseness) <souvenirs designed to appeal to the vulgar taste>.
ORDINARY Defined for Kids
1ordinary
adjective or·di·nary \ˈȯr-də-ˌner-ē\
Definition of ORDINARY for Kids
2
: neither good nor bad : average <I was an ordinary student.> <They're just ordinary people.>
3
: not very good : mediocre <She gave a very ordinary speech.>
2ordinary
noun
Definition of ORDINARY for Kids
: the conditions or events that are usual or normal <It's nothing out of the ordinary.>
Learn More About ORDINARY
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: ordinary carePrevious Word in the Dictionary: ordinariateAll Words Near: ordinary
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up ordinary? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).