mundane

[muhn-deyn, muhn-deyn]

adjective

1. common; ordinary; banal; unimaginative.

2. of or relating to this world or earth as contrasted with heaven; worldly; earthly.

   mundane affairs.

   Synonyms: temporal, secular

3. of or relating to the world, universe, or earth.

mundane

/ ˈmʌndeɪn, mʌnˈdeɪn /

adjective

1. everyday, ordinary, or banal

2. relating to the world or worldly matters

Other Word Forms

• mundanely adverb
• mundaneness noun
• mundanity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of mundane¹

First recorded in 1425–75; from Latin mundānus, equivalent to mund(us) “world” + -ānus -ane; replacing late Middle English mondeyne, from Middle French mondain, from Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of mundane¹

C15: from French mondain, via Late Latin, from Latin mundus world

Synonym Study

See earthly.

Example Sentences

Queuing for "pleasurable activities" - like shopping for luxury items, a bargain, or delicious food - creates a "distinctly different" feeling to queuing for something more mundane like buying your groceries, she says.

From BBC

It feels as if my diet has gone from bountiful to bland, my prospects from mysterious to mundane.

From Los Angeles Times

They also pointed to a mundane reason that innocent mistakes are common: Homebuyers simply sign stacks of forms without reading them.

From Salon

For someone to get you so effortlessly that even the mundane task of grocery shopping feels comforting is an anti-loneliness gift from the universe.

From Los Angeles Times

Burrell delivered all three like a high-octane seasoning, sprinkling them over even the most mundane techniques.

From Salon

Related Words

• banal 
• day-to-day 
• everyday 
• humdrum 
• normal 
• prosaic 
• workaday