extraordinary
Americanadjective
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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
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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.
"DC Massie is an extraordinary character and I look forward to bringing him to life."
From BBC
"It is just extraordinary that he is here today."
From BBC
The corporation will mark Sir David's "extraordinary milestone" on 8 May with a week of special programming featuring new and old shows by the beloved presenter.
From BBC
“The lawsuit seeks accountability for the extraordinary losses suffered by our community while recognizing that Malibu must continue to work collaboratively with our regional partners going forward,” Mayor Bruce Silverstein said in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times
"India is going to have an extraordinary trajectory with AI and we want to be a partner," he said, pledging to build subsea cables as part of an existing $15 billion AI infrastructure investment.
From Barron's
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.
