prosaic
American
adjective
-
lacking imagination
-
having the characteristics of prose
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of prosaic
First recorded in 1650–60, prosaic is from the Late Latin word prōsaicus. See prose, -ic
Explanation
Prosaic means ordinary or dull. Most of us lead a prosaic everyday life, sometimes interrupted by some drama or crisis. This adjective is from Latin prosa, "prose," which is ordinary writing intended to communicate ideas and information. Prose is often contrasted with poetry, which usually has a more imaginative and original style.
Vocabulary lists containing prosaic
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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.
The animal, known officially by the more prosaic name Bear 89, was nicknamed Backpack by rangers who noted his habit of climbing on his mother's back when she swam across the river.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
The blending of the prosaic with the philosophical creates a recasting of Plato’s cave allegory, though Ms. Day’s proximate influences often seem more postmodern.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
“Even the most powerful technologies must pass through the prosaic discipline of cost curves, capacity constraints and marginal returns,” the report said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
Similarly, the cast wrings some poetry out of the prosaic, often aphoristic dialogue.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026
Though related to these abstract considerations, the mistaken belief in the mechanical nature of mathematics generally takes more prosaic forms.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
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.
