ordinary

1 of 2

adjective

or·​di·​nary ˈȯr-də-ˌner-ē 

1

: of a kind to be expected in the normal order of events : routine, usual

an ordinary day

2

a

: of common quality, rank, or ability

an ordinary teenager

b

: deficient in quality : poor, inferior

ordinary wine

3

: having or constituting immediate or original jurisdiction

also : belonging to such jurisdiction

ordinariness

ˈȯr-də-ˌner-ē-nəs 

noun

ordinary

2 of 2

noun

plural ordinaries

1

: the regular or customary condition or course of things

—usually used in the phrase out of the ordinary

We haven't done anything out of the ordinary.

2

a(1)

: a prelate exercising original jurisdiction over a specified territory or group

The ordinary of a diocese is a bishop.

(2)

: a clergyman appointed formerly in England to attend condemned criminals

b

: a judge of probate in some states of the U.S.

3

often capitalized : the parts of the Mass that do not vary from day to day

The "Our Father" is part of the ordinary of the Mass.

4

a

British : a meal served to all comers at a fixed price

b

chiefly British : a tavern or eating house serving regular meals

5

: a common heraldic charge (such as the bend) of simple form (see charge entry 2 sense 7a)

Synonyms

Adjective

• average
• common
• commonplace
• cut-and-dried
• cut-and-dry
• everyday
• garden-variety
• normal
• prosaic
• routine
• run-of-the-mill
• standard
• standard-issue
• unexceptional
• unremarkable
• usual
• workaday

Choose the Right Synonym for ordinary

common, ordinary, plain, familiar, popular, vulgar mean generally met with and not in any way special, strange, or unusual.

common implies usual everyday quality or frequency of occurrence

a common error

lacked common honesty

and may additionally suggest inferiority or coarseness.

common manners

ordinary stresses conformance in quality or kind with the regular order of things.

an ordinary pleasant summer day

a very ordinary sort of man

plain is likely to suggest homely simplicity.

plain hard-working people

familiar stresses the fact of being generally known and easily recognized.

a familiar melody

popular applies to what is accepted by or prevalent among people in general sometimes in contrast to upper classes or special groups.

a writer of popular romances

vulgar, otherwise similar to popular, is likely to carry derogatory connotations (as of inferiority or coarseness).

souvenirs designed to appeal to the vulgar taste

Examples of ordinary in a Sentence

Adjective

They've had the ordinary problems associated with starting a new business.

My wife thought our guide was strange, but he seemed perfectly ordinary to me.

The meal was ordinary and uninspired.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

So refreshing to see out of ordinary kitchen design. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Apr. 2025

Oliver is closer to ordinary than dominant on a game-by-game basis, while DeWayne Carter was a healthy scratch in the playoffs. —Tim Graham, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025

Noun

Alila Napa Valley goes beyond the ordinary by offering unforgettable experiences designed to captivate modern travelers, especially Xennials. —Noel Burgess, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025

The couple have often walked red carpets together, so it certainly wouldn’t be considered out of the ordinary for the 37-year-old to walk the Golden Globes red carpet alongside her beau as his plus-one. —Sam Reed, Glamour, 4 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English ordinarie, from Latin ordinarius, from ordin-, ordo order

Noun

Middle English ordinarie, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin ordinarius, from Latin ordinarius, adjective

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a(1)

Phrases Containing ordinary

• in the ordinary way
• in the usual/normal/ordinary course of business
• no ordinary
• normal/ordinary course of events
• ordinary-language philosophy
• ordinary seaman
• ordinary share
• out of the ordinary

Rhymes for ordinary

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• beriberi
• breviary
• budgetary
• capillary
• catenary
• cautionary

Kids Definition

ordinary

1 of 2 noun

or·​di·​nary ˈȯrd-ᵊn-ˌer-ē 

plural ordinaries

1

: regular or usual condition or course of things

nothing out of the ordinary

2

a

British : a meal served to any person at a fixed price

b

chiefly British : a restaurant serving regular meals

ordinary

2 of 2 adjective

1

: to be expected : normal, usual

ordinary problems

2

: neither good nor bad : average

an ordinary person

ordinarily

ˌȯrd-ᵊn-ˈer-ə-lē

adverb

ordinariness

ˈȯrd-ᵊn-ˌer-ē-nəs

noun

Legal Definition

ordinary

adjective

or·​di·​nary

: of a kind to be expected from the average person or in the normal course of events

broadly : of a common kind or degree

an ordinary proceeding

compare extraordinary