quotidian

American  

[kwoh-tid-ee-uhn] / kwoʊˈtɪd i ən /

adjective

1. occurring as part of the normal or expected order of things; usual or customary; everyday.

   Her biographer delved into the most routine and quotidian parts of her life to paint a fuller picture of his subject.

2. of no special quality or interest; ordinary; commonplace.

   His paintings are pleasant to look at, but show nothing more than quotidian talent.

3. done, happening, or given daily.

   We recommend quotidian dialysis for the patient.

4. (of a fever or disease) characterized by the recurring daily intensification of symptoms.

   Malarial fevers tend to be quotidian, with daily attacks lasting up to 12 hours before abating.

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noun

1. something that is characteristic of everyday life.

   Their writing focuses on the quotidian and mundane.

   It's easy to get stuck in the quotidian and forget to try new things.

2. Archaic. a fever or disease characterized by the recurring daily intensification of symptoms.

quotidian British  

/ kwəʊˈtɪdɪən /

adjective

1. (esp of attacks of malarial fever) recurring daily

2. everyday; commonplace

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noun

1. a malarial fever characterized by attacks that recur daily

Other Word Forms

• quotidianly
  adverb
• quotidianness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of quotidian

1300–50; < Latin quotīdiānus, cottīdiānus daily, equivalent to cottīdi ( ē ) every day (adv.) ( *quot ( t ) ī a locative form akin to quot however many occur, every + diē, ablative of diēs day; cf. meridian) + -ānus -an; replacing Middle English cotidien < Old French < Latin, as above

Explanation

Quotidian is a fancy way of saying "daily" or "ordinary." Quotidian events are the everyday details of life. When you talk about the quotidian, you're talking about the little things in life: everyday events that are normal and not that exciting. Going to the store, doing chores, working or going to school, and brushing your teeth are all quotidian. If you take a spaceship to Mars, that would be unusual and extraordinary: the opposite of quotidian.

Example Sentences

Quotidian political life would, at the very least, have ground to a halt.

From Slate • Apr. 26, 2017

Quotidian improvements rather than innovative leaps have actually been the order of the day.

From Economist • Feb. 13, 2014

Quotidian adventures — Mike gets involved with a morning moms’ group, for instance — are countered by loopy work-world politics.

From New York Times • Feb. 7, 2011

Quotidian Theatre Company has mounted the U.S. premiere of “The Veil.”

From Washington Post

In Spring 1761, what Agues we had were mostly Tertian, some Quotidian, and but two or three of the Quartan Kind.

From An Account of the Diseases which were most frequent in the British military hospitals in Germany by Monro, Donald