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REFERENCE

ordinary

adj. · n.
US //ˈɔɹdəˌnɛɹi// UK //ˈɔːdɪnəɹi// or·di·nary
  1. 1 normal or common (adj.)
    A2 Elementary

    not different or special in any way; usual and normal.

    belonging to a standard or customary type; lacking distinctive or special characteristics.

    Example

    It was just an ordinary day at work until the surprise party started.

    Example

    The film explores how ordinary people react when placed in extraordinary circumstances beyond their control.
  2. 2 plain or boring (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    not very good or interesting; plain.

    lacking interest or quality; often used with a slightly negative tone to suggest something is uninspired.

    Example

    The meal was quite ordinary, and I wouldn't go back to that restaurant.

    Example

    Critics dismissed the novel as an ordinary thriller that failed to offer any new insights into the genre.
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  1. 3 bad or unpleasant (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Dialect

    used to describe something that is poor quality or makes you feel bad.

    denoting something of poor quality or an unpleasant state of affairs.

    Example

    I've been feeling a bit ordinary all morning, so I might stay home.

    Example

    The team's performance was pretty ordinary, leading to a disappointing loss in the final minutes of the game.

    Teacher's tip

    This usage is particularly common in Australian and New Zealand English to describe feeling unwell or a poor performance.
  2. 4 a person with authority (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Formal Technical Law

    a person who has the power to make legal or religious decisions.

    an officer who has immediate jurisdiction in their own right, such as a judge or a bishop.

    Example

    The case was brought before the ordinary for a final decision.

    Example

    In ecclesiastical law, the bishop acts as the ordinary for his diocese, exercising regular jurisdiction over its members.
  3. 5 religious service (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Formal Technical Religion

    the parts of a church service that stay the same every time.

    the parts of the Mass or Divine Office that do not vary from day to day.

    Example

    The choir practiced the Ordinary of the Mass for the upcoming holiday.

    Example

    The composer focused his efforts on setting the five movements of the Ordinary, ensuring the music remained consistent throughout the liturgical year.
Origin

From Anglo-Norman ordenarie, ordenaire et al., Middle French ordinaire, and their source, Medieval Latin ordinarius, noun use of Latin ōrdinārius (“regular, orderly”), from ōrdō (“order”).

Word family

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