What does ordinariness mean?
Ordinariness means the condition or quality of being ordinary: common, familiar, typical, and not remarkable. The noun is often used when discussing daily life, routine, art, or experience, particularly where something that initially seems uneventful is being considered more closely. Its connotation depends on context. It may imply dullness or a lack of distinction, as when critics describe a performance as tedious or uninspired, but it can also be approving or affectionate, as in expressions that treat everyday simplicity as comforting, honest, or valuable. Ordinariness differs from the adjective ordinary: the adjective describes a particular person, object, or event, while the noun names the broader quality or state. Although related terms such as mundanity and commonplace-ness can suggest dullness more strongly, ordinariness often has a somewhat literary tone and is well suited to reflective writing.
nounThe quality or state of being ordinary, commonplace, or unremarkable. It can also refer to something ordinary considered as a whole.
- The state or quality of being ordinary, commonplace, or unremarkable.
"The beauty of the old town lies in its pleasant ordinariness."
"She found a quiet comfort in the ordinariness of her daily routine."
"The essay argues that the film's apparent ordinariness conceals an unusual artistic vision."
Ordinariness is normally used as an uncountable noun. The plural form is uncommon and is chiefly needed when different instances or qualities of ordinariness are being discussed.
"The exhibition explores the subtle ordinarinesses of postwar domestic life."
Ordinariness turns “nothing special” into a word worth examining.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does ordinariness come from?
Ordinariness was formed in the 17th century by adding the suffix -ness to ordinary, which in turn came through Old French from Latin ordinarius, meaning “in accordance with order” or “usual.” Its meaning developed from the notion of something ordered or regular to the modern sense of something common and unremarkable. Several English words share the Latin root associated with order, including ordinary, ordinance, ordination, and ordinate.
How ordinariness is actually used
Ordinariness is usually an abstract noun and is often used in reflective or literary contexts. It can carry a mildly critical connotation, suggesting a lack of distinction, or a warmer one, suggesting comfort and authenticity in ordinary life.
Easily confused with ordinariness
Ordinary is the adjective describing something common or unremarkable, whereas ordinariness is the noun naming that quality.