Ordinary
/ˈɔːrdɪnəri/
Definitions
2 meaningsConforming to common usage or established practice; not out of the ordinary.
/ˈɔːrdɪnəri/
Commonplace; not special or different.
The ordinary tasks of the day can sometimes feel overwhelming.
💡 Simply: Think of it like this: Imagine your lunch. If it's a sandwich and some chips, that's an ordinary lunch. It's nothing fancy, just what you usually have!
👶 For kids: When something is ordinary, it means it's normal or not special. Like a regular day at school.
More Examples
He led an ordinary life in the suburbs.
She was just an ordinary girl with extraordinary dreams.
How It's Used
"The movie was about the ordinary lives of everyday people."
"She had an ordinary day at the office."
A person or thing that is regarded as normal or usual. In legal or ecclesiastical contexts, a person with authority.
/ˈɔːrdɪnəri/
Something that is usual or customary.
The ordinary of the church was responsible for the finances.
💡 Simply: In old times and sometimes still, an ordinary was a person in a court or church who had a specific job or authority, like overseeing executions or managing religious matters.
👶 For kids: Sometimes, 'ordinary' can be the person in charge of something important.
More Examples
The ordinary was present at the trial.
The judge served as the ordinary in the courtroom.
How It's Used
"He was appointed as the ordinary of the diocese."
"In the past, an ordinary was often a priest who attended executions."
Synonyms
Average
Common
Conventional
Everyday
Mundane
Normal
Custom
Idioms & expressions
out of the ordinary
Not usual or common; unusual or exceptional.
"Her talent for painting was truly out of the ordinary."
From Middle English *ordynary*, from Old French *ordinarie*, from Latin *ordinarius* ('orderly, regular'), from *ordo* ('order').
The word 'ordinary' has been used since the 14th century, originally with meanings related to order and arrangement.
Memory tip
Think of an average house, it’s ORDINARY, nothing special.