adjective
Normal and not unusual in a particular situation.
It was just an ordinary day at work.
She comes from an ordinary family.
Common phrases & grammar
ordinary day · ordinary people · ordinary life
be + ordinary
seem + ordinary
American English
How to pronounce ordinary
adjectiveB1Common word
ORduhnehree
/ˈɔɹ.ɾəˌnɛɹ.i/
4 syllables · Stress the first syllable.
Normal and not unusual in a particular situation.
Practice out loudMeanings & examples
adjective
Not especially good, interesting, or impressive.
The food was ordinary, but the service was excellent.
He gave an ordinary performance.
Good to know
In English, ordinary usually means normal or not special. It does not usually mean rude or vulgar.
Common phrases & grammar
ordinary-looking · ordinary quality
an ordinary + singular noun
ordinary + plural noun