ENGLISH
REFERENCE

routine

n. · adj.
US //ɹuˈtin// rou·tine
  1. 1 regular habits (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the usual series of things you do at a particular time.

    a sequence of actions regularly followed; a fixed program of daily or professional activity.

    Example

    My morning routine includes a short walk and a cup of coffee before work.

    Example

    Establishing a consistent bedtime routine can significantly improve sleep quality by signaling to the brain that it is time to wind down.

    Usage

    Often used with 'daily', 'morning', or 'work'.
  2. 2 performance act (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Theatre

    a set of movements or jokes that someone performs for an audience.

    a scripted or choreographed sequence of actions performed by an entertainer or athlete.

    Example

    The comedian practiced his new routine for weeks before the big show.

    Example

    The gymnast executed a flawless floor routine, earning high marks for both technical difficulty and artistic expression.
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  1. 3 computing task (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    a set of instructions in a computer program that does a specific job.

    a sequence of computer instructions, often called a subroutine, designed to perform a specific, frequently used task.

    Example

    The software uses a special routine to save your work automatically every five minutes.

    Example

    The developer optimized the sorting routine to handle large datasets more efficiently, reducing the overall processing time by thirty percent.
  2. 4 ordinary or standard (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    done as a normal part of a job or process, rather than for a special reason.

    performed as part of a regular procedure rather than for a specific or exceptional reason.

    Example

    The pilot performed a routine safety check before the plane took off.

    Example

    The surgery was described as a routine procedure, yet the medical team remained vigilant for any unexpected complications during recovery.
Origin

Unadapted borrowing from French routine. By surface analysis, route + -ine. Further from Latin rupta via. Compare typologically travel << Latin tripālium, whence also travail, note the inverse semantic vector from a subjective state (toil) to an objective action (journey). Also compare Czech běžný (< běžet), Russian обихо́д (obixód), обихо́дный (obixódnyj) (akin to ходи́ть (xodítʹ)).

Word family

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