ORDINARY


Meaning of ORDINARY in English

I. -rē, -ri noun

( -es )

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

1.

a.

(1) often capitalized : a prelate exercising actual ecclesiastical jurisdiction over a specified territory

the local ordinary of a province is an archbishop

(2) : a clergyman appointed formerly in England to give spiritual assistance to condemned criminals and to prepare them for the ordeal of the death penalty

b.

(1) civil & Scots law : a judge having jurisdiction in his own right ; specifically : a lord ordinary in Scotland

(2) : a judge of probate in some states of the United States

c. obsolete : the persons formerly employed to care for warships when laid up

d. obsolete : a courier in regular service ; also : mail

e. : the second rank in the sea exploring program of the Boy Scouts of America

2.

a.

(1) obsolete : regular provision or allowance (as of food)

(2) Britain : a meal served to all comers at a fixed price in distinction from one where each dish is separately charged for

lunching … on the very excellent ordinary — Elizabeth Montizambert

(3) chiefly Britain : a tavern or eating house where regular meals are served ; also : the dining room in such a house

b.

(1) : regular, customary, or ordinary condition or course of things : such as is ordinarily met with or experienced — usually used in the phrase out of the ordinary

nothing out of the ordinary — Glenway Wescott

(2) : someone or something of ordinary or routine character

the little ordinaries of life

c.

(1) : a heraldic charge or bearing (as the bend, chevron, chief, cross, fess, pale, or saltire) of simple form and in constant use — see subordinary

(2) : a book containing a collection of coats of arms arranged by design — compare armory

d. : an early bicycle with a very large and a very small wheel as distinguished from a safety bicycle

e. Britain : common stock or a share of it

3. often capitalized

a. : an ecclesiastical order of service ; specifically : the parts of the mass that do not vary from day to day

b. : the part of a missal containing the ordinary of the mass

- by ordinary

- in ordinary

II. adjective

( sometimes -er/-est )

Etymology: Middle English ordinarie, from Latin ordinarius, from ordin-, ordo order + -arius -ary — more at order

1.

a.

(1) : occurring or encountered in the usual course of events : not uncommon or exceptional : not remarkable : routine , normal

the ordinary experience common to everyone — W.V.Houston

a spring van, ordinary in shape but singular in color — Thomas Hardy

the ordinary traffic had been stopped … to allow of the passage of troops and guns — H.G.Wells

(2) obsolete : being of frequent occurrence : common , abundant

(3) archaic : commonly experienced or practiced

b. : characterized by common quality, merit, rank, or ability : lacking in excellence, superior merit, uncommon appeal, or distinctive characteristics

just ordinary people, with no more authority or judgment than they had themselves — Rose Macaulay

not the ordinary rice, but rice which had been specially planted and tended — J.G.Frazer

c. : being of a poor or mediocre quality : second-rate , inferior

a very ordinary wine

d. : not advanced or honorary

an ordinary examination

an ordinary degree

e. : of or relating to life insurance sold in amounts of $1000 or more with premiums payable annually, semiannually, or quarterly — compare industrial life insurance

2.

a. : having or constituting immediate or original jurisdiction as opposed to that which is delegated : having jurisdiction of his own right or by virtue of office ; also : belonging to such jurisdiction

b. Britain : constituting the common-law branch of the Chancery Court

Synonyms: see common

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.