Ordinarius

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. A term used to denote something usual or regular in nature
2. Often refers to a rank or class that is standard or commonplace
3. In historical contexts, it may describe an ordinary person or a member of the clergy with a regular role

Etymology: In Latin, "ordinarius" meant "regular" or "orderly." It was built from "ordo," a word for a row or line, which likely began as a term for threads laid in order on a loom. English got its counterpart, "ordinary," from Old French "ordinaire" in the 14th century, and the sense of commonplace grew from the idea of following the usual order of things. The Latin form kept more specialized meanings. In the medieval Church, an "ordinary" was a bishop or prelate who held authority in his own right over a diocese, rather than acting on someone else's behalf. In 19th-century German universities, "Ordinarius" became the title of a full professor who held a chair, the top rank in a faculty, and English writers on German academia borrowed it to name that post.

Synonyms: ordinary, common, regular, usual, standard

Antonyms: extraordinary, exceptional, unusual, special, rare