extraordinary
Americanadjective
-
beyond what is usual, ordinary, regular, or established.
extraordinary costs.
- Synonyms:
- inordinate
-
exceptional in character, amount, extent, degree, etc.; noteworthy; remarkable.
extraordinary speed;
an extraordinary man.
-
(of an official, employee, etc.) outside of or additional to the ordinary staff; having a special, often temporary task or responsibility.
minister extraordinary and plenipotentiary.
adjective
-
very unusual, remarkable, or surprising
-
not in an established manner, course, or order
-
employed for particular events or purposes
-
(usually postpositive) (of an official, etc) additional or subordinate to the usual one
a minister extraordinary
Other Word Forms
- extraordinarily adverb
- extraordinariness noun
- unextraordinary adjective
Etymology
Origin of extraordinary
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English extraordinarie, from Latin extrāordinārius “beyond ordinary,” equivalent to extra- + ordinary
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
IPS UK, the firm that installed the machines, described the vandalism as "totally extraordinary".
From BBC
"Everyone is talking about Emily Bronte and 'Wuthering Heights'.... It's just extraordinary," she added.
From Barron's
He has two goals and four assists in those eight games since his return, yet for a man who has grown accustomed to the extraordinary, the key metric is where he is lacking.
From BBC
“By bringing together these world-class studios, our complementary streaming platforms, and the extraordinary talent behind them, we will create even greater value for audiences, partners and shareholders,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times
"Ayton Castle is a truly extraordinary property, widely regarded as Scotland's finest example of Gothic Revival architecture," he said.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
