con ‧ ven ‧ tion ‧ al W3 AC /kənˈvenʃ ə nəl/ BrE AmE adjective
1 . [only before noun] a conventional method, product, practice etc has been used for a long time and is considered the usual type:
Internet connections through conventional phone lines are fairly slow.
Bake for 20 minutes in a conventional oven; 8 in a microwave.
2 . always following the behaviour and attitudes that most people in a society consider to be normal, right, and socially acceptable, so that you seem slightly boring:
a strong believer in conventional morals
conventional in
He is conventional in his approach to life.
3 . (the) conventional wisdom the opinion that most people consider to be normal and right, but that is sometimes shown to be wrong:
As traffic grew, the conventional wisdom was to widen the roads.
4 . [only before noun] conventional weapons and wars do not use ↑ nuclear explosives or weapons:
conventional forces
5 . conventional medicine the usual form of medicine practised in most European and North American countries SYN western medicine
—conventionally adverb
—conventionality /kənˌvenʃəˈnæləti, kənˌvenʃəˈnælɪti/ noun [uncountable]
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THESAURUS
▪ normal usual, typical, and as you would expect it to be:
Is this cold weather normal for the time of year?
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It had been another normal working day in the office.
▪ ordinary ( also regular especially American English ) not special, unusual, or different from normal:
They lived in an ordinary three-bedroomed house.
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It looks like an ordinary car, but it uses solar power.
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Would you like a regular salad or a Caesar salad?
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I just want an ordinary bicycle, not a mountain bike.
▪ average [only before noun] around the usual level or amount:
She is of average height.
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He is of above average intelligence.
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The average price of a pint of milk has gone up.
▪ standard normal – used about methods of doing something, or about the size, shape, features etc of products:
It’s standard practice to X-ray hand-baggage at most airports.
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We stock shoes in all the standard sizes.
▪ routine used about things that are done regularly as part of a series of things:
The fault was discovered during a routine check of the plane.
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routine tasks such as shopping and cooking
▪ everyday [only before noun] used about things that happen or that you use as part of normal life:
He painted scenes of everyday life in France.
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Sally was still dressed in her everyday clothes.
▪ common used about birds and plants that are of the most usual type, and in the phrase the common people (=people who are not rich and powerful) :
the common goldfish
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an alliance between the aristocracy and the common people
▪ conventional [only before noun] of the kind that is usually used – used when comparing this with a different or special type:
The engine is more efficient than a conventional diesel engine.
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the drugs used in conventional medicine
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conventional weapons (=not nuclear, chemical, or biological)
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conventional ovens and microwaves