extraordinary

[ik-strawr-dn-er-ee, ek-struh-awr-]

adjective

1. beyond what is usual, ordinary, regular, or established.

   extraordinary costs.

   Synonyms: inordinate
   Antonyms: usual, common

2. exceptional in character, amount, extent, degree, etc.; noteworthy; remarkable.

   extraordinary speed;

   an extraordinary man.

   Synonyms: signal, special, phenomenal, rare, singular, uncommon
   Antonyms: usual, common

3. (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.

extraordinary

/ ɪkˈstrɔːdənrɪ, -dənərɪ /

adjective

1. very unusual, remarkable, or surprising

2. not in an established manner, course, or order

3. employed for particular events or purposes

4. (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

Word History and Origins

Origin of extraordinary¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English extraordinarie, from Latin extrāordinārius “beyond ordinary,” equivalent to extra- + ordinary

Word History and Origins

Origin of extraordinary¹

C15: from Latin extraordinārius beyond what is usual; see _ordinary

Example Sentences

An extraordinary number of mistakes came from USC’s kick and punt teams, where the Trojans had looked somewhat improved this season.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

While a paper’s methodology could be more or less rigorous, and data could be tortured into fitting preconceived conclusions, the falsification of an entire study was extraordinary.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"The thing that I have found really so extraordinary and unexpected is that everybody is so lovely," she said.

Read more on BBC

Here my gratitude to Heaney matches my thanks to his editors and his family, who have hatched this extraordinary book.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

This extraordinary man of parts was a novelist, nature writer, editor, environmentalist, political activist, outdoorsman and Zen master.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• amazing 
• bizarre 
• curious 
• exceptional 
• fantastic 
• incredible 
• marvelous 
• odd 
• outstanding 
• particular 
• phenomenal 
• rare 
• remarkable 
• singular 
• special 
• strange 
• surprising 
• terrific 
• uncommon 
• unheard-of