[or.di.nary] n, pl -nar.ies [ME ordinarie, fr. AF & ML; AF, fr. ML ordinarius, fr. L ordinarius, adj.] (14c) 1 a (1): a prelate exercising original jurisdiction over a specified territory or group (2): a clergyman appointed formerly in England to attend condemned criminals b: a judge of probate in some states of the U.S.
2. often cap: the parts of the Mass that do not vary from day to day
3: the regular or customary condition or course of things--usu. used in the phrase out of the ordinary
4. a Brit: a meal served to all comers at a fixed price b chiefly Brit: a tavern or eating house serving regular meals
5: a common heraldic charge (as the bend) of simple form
[2]ordinary adj [ME ordinarie, fr. L ordinarius, fr. ordin-, ordo order] (15c) 1: of a kind to be expected in the normal order of events: routine, usual
2: having or constituting immediate or original jurisdiction; also: belonging to such jurisdiction 3 a: of common quality, rank, or ability b: deficient in quality: poor, inferior syn see common -- or.di.nar.i.ly adv -- or.di.nar.i.ness n