adjective / noun
ordinary
ORD-nuh-ree/ˈɔːrdneri/
The normal or usual rather than the exceptional.
The ordinary mug has no feature distinguishing it from its matching companions.
Etymology
What belongs to the usual order or arrangement is regular and customary. Ordinary developed from that idea to mean common in occurrence and therefore not remarkable.
In context
This isn't ordinary steel used for silverware or even car bodies. High-speed train wheels are made from a special grade of steel
More examples
- An ordinary weekday starts with breakfast and a bus ride.
- You can make this repair with ordinary household tools.
- The chef turns simple ingredients into something beyond the ordinary.
Forms
ordinary
ordinarily adverb — Usually or under normal circumstances.
ordinariness noun — The quality of being usual or unremarkable.