mundane

mun·dane

adjective \ˌmən-ˈdān, ˈmən-ˌ\

Definition of MUNDANE

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the world

2

: characterized by the practical, transitory, and ordinary : commonplace <the mundane concerns of day-to-day life>

— mun·dane·ly adverb

— mun·dane·ness \-ˈdān-nəs, -ˌdān-\ noun

— mun·dan·i·ty \ˌmən-ˈdā-nə-tē\ noun

Examples of MUNDANE

1. mundane chores, like washing dishes
2. They lead a pretty mundane life.
3. prayer and meditation helped her put her mundane worries aside
4. On him, a mundane navy blazer looked like an Armani dinner jacket; around him, a dusky locker room became the chandeliered lobby of the Savoy. —Curry Kirkpatrick, ESPN, 19 Mar. 2001
5. How did our ancestors pass from the mundane activity of counting to the concept of ‘number’ in the abstract, devoid of any particular collection of objects to label? —John D. Barrow, Pi in the Sky, 1992
6. They decided on buttock tattoos, rather than the more mundane engagement ring, because a tattoo is permanent. You can always pawn a ring. —Mike Royko, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 1988
7. The day began with the mundane business of getting my white chiffon dress shortened … —Lady Bird Johnson, January 14, 1964, in A White House Diary, 1970

Origin of MUNDANE

Middle English mondeyne, from Anglo-French mundain, from Late Latin mundanus, from Latin mundus world

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to MUNDANE

Synonyms

everyday, nitty-gritty, prosaic, terrestrial, workaday

Antonyms

heavenly, nontemporal, unearthly, unworldly

Related Words

earthly, temporal, worldly; average, common, commonplace, customary, familiar, garden, generic, normal, ordinary, plain, popular, routine, run-of-the-mill, run-of-the-mine (or run-of-mine), standard, typical, unexceptional, unremarkable, usual; frequent, habitual, regular; expected, predictable

Near Antonyms

high-minded, lofty, noble, sublime; aberrant, abnormal, atypical; exceptional, extraordinary, freak, peculiar, phenomenal, rare, singular, special, uncommon, uncustomary, unique, unusual, unwonted; bizarre, curious, far-out, funny, odd, outlandish, out-of-the-way, outré, quaint, quirky, remarkable, screwy, strange, weird, wild

See Synonym Discussion at earthly