routine

[roo-teen]

noun

1. a customary or regular course of procedure.

2. commonplace tasks, chores, or duties as must be done regularly or at specified intervals; typical or everyday activity.

   the routine of an office.

3. regular, unvarying, habitual, unimaginative, or rote procedure.

4. an unvarying and constantly repeated formula, as of speech or action; convenient or predictable response.

   Don't give me that brotherly-love routine!

5. Computers.

   1. a complete set of coded instructions directing a computer to perform a series of operations.

   2. a series of operations performed by the computer.

6. an individual act, performance, or part of a performance, as a song or dance, given regularly by an entertainer.

   a comic routine; a dance routine.

adjective

1. of the nature of, proceeding by, or adhering to routine.

   routine duties.

2. dull or uninteresting; commonplace.

   Synonyms: typical, ordinary, habitual

routine

/ ruːˈtiːn /

noun

1. a usual or regular method of procedure, esp one that is unvarying

2. computing a program or part of a program performing a specific function

   an input routine

   an output routine

3. a set sequence of dance steps

4. informal,  a hackneyed or insincere speech

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of routine

Other Word Forms

• routinely adverb
• routineness noun
• nonroutine adjective
• unroutine adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of routine¹

First recorded in 1670–80; from French, derivative of route route

Word History and Origins

Origin of routine¹

C17: from Old French, from route a customary way, _route

Example Sentences

The Navy said the exercise was handled safely, but the incident alarmed Navy personnel, who said in a routine follow-up report that company representatives had misguided the military.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

That’s all in the name of bringing a little humor to what would otherwise feel like a very utilitarian part of his daily routine.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

This behavior supports a routine cellular cleanup process known as autophagy.

Read more on Science Daily

"When we played Portugal in the summer I was able to translate their set-piece routines for the rest of the team which was good."

Read more on BBC

"Adding choline-rich foods to your routine can help reduce inflammation and support both your body and brain as you age."

Read more on Science Daily

Related Words

• act 
• custom 
• cycle 
• drill 
• groove 
• habit 
• method 
• pace 
• pattern 
• piece 
• practice 
• procedure 
• program 
• system 
• technique 
• use