English Reference
adjective

everyday

adj.
US /ˈɛvɹiˈdeɪ/ UK /ˈɛvɹɪdˌeɪ/ ev·ery·day

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    normal and common; things you see or do all the time.

    commonplace or ordinary; relating to the routine events or objects of daily life.

    Simple

    Traffic jams are an everyday problem for people living in the city.

    In context

    The film focuses on the everyday struggles of a working-class family rather than grand historical events.

    Usage

    Always placed before the noun it describes.

    Pitfall
    I go to the gym everyday. I go to the gym every day.

    Use 'everyday' as an adjective before a noun. Use 'every day' (two words) as an adverb to mean 'each day'.

  2. 02 B1 Intermediate

    suitable for normal activities rather than special occasions.

    appropriate for ordinary use or casual wear as opposed to formal or special occasions.

    Simple

    You don't need to dress up; just wear your everyday clothes.

    In context

    The museum features an exhibit of everyday objects from the Victorian era, including cooking pots and sewing kits.

    Usage

    Typically used to describe clothing, items, or language.

Don't confuse

everyday vs every day — Everyday is an adjective that describes something ordinary, while every day is an adverbial phrase that tells you how often something happens.

Usage everyday life · expenditure everyday · everyday experiences


From Middle English everidayes, every daies, every dayes (“everyday, daily, continual, constant”, adjective, literally “every day's”), equivalent to every + day.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Middle English everidayes
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Common
Updated