everyday

[ev-ree-dey, ev-ree-dey]

adjective

1. of or relating to every day; daily.

   an everyday occurrence.

2. of or for ordinary days, as contrasted with Sundays, holidays, or special occasions.

   everyday clothes.

   Synonyms: usual, common, workday

3. such as is met with every day; ordinary; commonplace.

   a placid, everyday scene.

   Synonyms: usual, common, workday

noun

1. the routine or ordinary day or occasion.

   We use inexpensive plates for everyday.

everyday

/ ˈɛvrɪˌdeɪ /

adjective

1. happening each day; daily

2. commonplace or usual; ordinary

3. suitable for or used on ordinary days as distinct from Sundays or special days

Other Word Forms

• everydayness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of everyday¹

First recorded in 1325–75, everyday is from the Middle English word everydayes. See every, day

Example Sentences

Such facilities can release residues from everyday consumer products that use these chemicals, including nonstick cookware, food packaging, stain-resistant fabrics, and water-repellent coatings.

Read more on Science Daily

The image is partially the result of social media platforms like Facebook encouraging users to post their everyday mundanities, such as winding down with a glass of wine at the end of the night.

Read more on Salon

The everyday costs faced in retirement have outpaced inflation, putting a financial strain on older adults.

Read more on MarketWatch

In addition to the migraines, Chesson developed heart arrhythmias and severe sensitivity to lights, sound and everyday chemicals that have kept her largely housebound.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“Virtual reality becomes more attractive than the real one and can become the ‘non-place’ to escape from the complexity of everyday life.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• commonplace 
• frequent 
• mundane 
• normal 
• ordinary 
• prosaic 
• usual 
• workaday 

When To Use

What’s the difference between everyday and every day?

Everyday is most commonly used as an adjective meaning daily or, in a more figurative sense, ordinary, as in an everyday occurrence. The phrase every day means each day—it functions as an adverb to describe how frequently an action is done, as in I try to exercise every day. Think of it this way: everyday is used to describe nouns, while every day is used to describe verbs.For example, a person might aspire to go for a run every day, eat vegetables every day, and read every day. If they did these things every day (or most days), these activities would constitute part of their everyday routine.If you can replace the term with regular or ordinary, use everyday. If you can replace it with each day, use every day. Careful—the word daily can be used to replace both terms in certain situations (such as I exercise every day and This is one of my everyday exercises).Here’s an example of everyday and every day used correctly in the same sentence.Example: Every day this week I’ve tried to change one thing about my everyday routine.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between everyday and every day.