ordinariness

or·di·nar·y  (ôrdn-r)

adj.

1. Commonly encountered; usual. See Synonyms at common.

2.

a. Of no exceptional ability, degree, or quality; average.

b. Of inferior quality; second-rate.

3. Having immediate rather than delegated jurisdiction, as a judge.

4. Mathematics Designating a differential equation containing no more than one independent variable.

n. pl. or·di·nar·ies

1. The usual or normal condition or course of events: Nothing out of the ordinary occurred.

2. Law

a. A judge or other official with immediate rather than delegated jurisdiction.

b. The judge of a probate court in some states of the United States.

3. often Ordinary Ecclesiastical

a. The part of the Mass that remains unchanged from day to day.

b. A division of the Roman Breviary containing the unchangeable parts of the office other than the Psalms.

c. A cleric, such as the residential bishop of a diocese, with ordinary jurisdiction over a specified territory.

4. Heraldry One of the simplest and commonest charges, such as the bend and the cross.

5. Chiefly British

a. A complete meal provided at a fixed price.

b. A tavern or an inn providing such a meal.

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[Middle English ordinarie, from Old French, from Latin rdinrius, from rd, rdin-, order; see ar- in Indo-European roots.]

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ordi·nari·ness n.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

ordinariness - the quality of being commonplace and ordinary mundaneness, mundanity quality - an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone; "the quality of mercy is not strained"--Shakespeare mediocrity, averageness - ordinariness as a consequence of being average and not outstanding expectedness - ordinariness as a consequence of being expected and not surprising commonplaceness, everydayness, commonness - ordinariness as a consequence of being frequent and commonplace extraordinariness - the quality of being extraordinary and not commonly encountered