Spanish word

ordinario

Pronunciation

IPA/oɾðiˈnaɾjo/

Meaning

  • adjectivenormal

Example

Es un día ordinario.

It's a normal day.

Illustration for ordinario (normal)

More examples

No es una persona ordinaria, siempre busca nuevas ideas.

He is not a normal person; he always seeks new ideas.

Core concept

A regular, unexceptional item of daily life.

Common phrases

  • persona ordinaria

    normal person

  • comportamiento ordinario

    everyday behavior

Similar words

usual: Customarily occurring in normal practice and often the expected option.
regular: Structured and periodic, occurring according to an established form.
común: Frequently occurring and broadly applicable across different situations.
habitual: Habitual in nature, arising from repeated behavior or routines.

Definition in Spanish

Que forma parte de lo regular o habitual y carece de cualidades excepcionales.

Word origin

From Latin ordinarius (ordo 'order'), originally meaning 'belonging to the established order' and so used for what is regular or customary.

Usage tips

  • As a cognate of English ordinary, ordinario fits routine things but sounds harsh for people, so speakers prefer cotidiano or habitual for a neutral everyday sense.

Other meanings

  • plainadjective
  • everydayadjective

Opposites

Word lists with this word