garden-variety

American  

[gahr-dn-vuh-rahy-i-tee] / ˈgɑr dn vəˌraɪ ɪ ti /

adjective

1. common, usual, or ordinary; unexceptional.

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garden variety Idioms  

1. Ordinary, common, as in I don't want anything special in a VCR—the garden variety will do. This term alludes to a common plant as opposed to a specially bred hybrid. [Colloquial; 1920]

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Etymology

Origin of garden-variety

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

According to survivors, the carnage began as a garden-variety neighborhood dispute.

From Washington Post

A cynical thought popped into my head as the closing credits began to roll for “Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre,” a garden-variety comedy caper featuring an elite team of supersecret agents with a unique set of skills, all of which are applied to stopping a mysterious weapon from falling into the wrong hands: This feels designed — focus-grouped, even — to become a franchise.

From Washington Post

But for her 12-year-old brother, Jason, the sudden change of circumstances — the family could not afford a sudden rent hike where they’d been living — comes at a time when external disappointment finds too much fuel in the onset of garden-variety adolescent dismay.

From New York Times

Over his career he handled plenty of garden-variety public relations chores — promoting products, announcing engagements or deaths — but clients often made use of his services because they were in crisis mode.

From New York Times

Anyone unfamiliar with this story would most likely be shocked and confused when Nick, who is otherwise written and performed as a lazy, garden-variety 20-something narcissist, attacks the bright and bubbly Sylvie in the play’s final minutes.

From New York Times