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extraordinary

[ ik-strawr-dn-er-ee, ek-struh-awr- ]
/ ɪkˈstrɔr dnˌɛr i, ˌɛk strəˈɔr- /
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See synonyms for: extraordinary / extraordinarily / extraordinariness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
beyond what is usual, ordinary, regular, or established: extraordinary costs.
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.
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Origin of extraordinary

1425–75; late Middle English extraordinarie<Latin extrāordinārius beyond what is ordinary. See extra-, ordinary

OTHER WORDS FROM extraordinary

ex·traor·di·nar·i·ly [ik-strawr-dn-air-uh-lee, ek-struh-awr-], /ɪkˌstrɔr dnˈɛər ə li, ˌɛk strəˌɔr-/, adverbex·traor·di·nar·i·ness, nounun·ex·traor·di·nar·y, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use extraordinary in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for extraordinary

extraordinary
/ (ɪkˈstrɔːdənrɪ, -dənərɪ) /

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 onea minister extraordinary

Derived forms of extraordinary

extraordinarily, adverbextraordinariness, noun

Word Origin for extraordinary

C15: from Latin extraordinārius beyond what is usual; see ordinary
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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