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extraordinary Definition

extraor·di·nary (ek strôrd′'n er′ē, ik-; --strôr′də ner′ē; also eks′trə ôrd′'n er′ē, -ôr′də ner′ē)

adjective

  1. not according to the usual custom or regular plan an extraordinary session of Congress
  2. going far beyond the ordinary degree, measure, limit, etc.; very unusual; exceptional; remarkable
  3. outside the regular staff; sent on a special errand; having special authority or responsibility a minister extraordinary

Etymology: ME extraordinari < L extraordinarius < extra ordinem, out of the usual order < extra + acc. of ordo, order

extraordinary Related Forms

extraor′·di·nar′i·ly adverb extraor′·di·nar′i·ness noun

extraordinary Synonyms

extraordinary

modif.

exceptional, remarkable, curious, amazing; see excellent, unusual 1.

extraordinary Usage Examples

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • see: This moment of crisis saw something extraordinary taking space.
  • make: Everyone in fact likes the Dave Gorman's of this world because they make the mundane look extraordinary, and the self-important mundane.

Modifying Another Word

  • quite: Quite extraordinary watches, at a very attractive price.
  • truly: What is truly extraordinary is that each of these myths is exactly contrary to what can clearly be demonstrated was the case.
  • absolutely: I don't think I have ever come across a book like The Spellcoats: its absolutely extraordinary.
  • rather: It appears rather extraordinary that he should commit the same faults twice.
  • utterly: I gazed at this, aware that it was utterly extraordinary.
  • pretty: We went through a pretty extraordinary time ( recently ).

Infinitive complement

see: It was extraordinary to see the amount of stuff that had been landed since the first American landing.

Modifies a noun

  • rendition: On 8 December, I raised the issue of extraordinary rendition.
  • feat: I think they have performed an extraordinary feat over these past few years.
  • talent: It had begun in 1947 as an amalgam of extraordinary talents and diverse personalities.
  • achievement: An extraordinary achievement documented in a highly eloquent way.
  • tale: An extraordinary tale with a strange twist toward the end.
  • meeting: The General Assembly can convene regular or extraordinary meetings.

Used with adjective complement

  • seem: To say that it is a form of trespass seems extraordinary.
  • appear: It appears rather extraordinary that he should commit the same faults twice.
  • become: This is where the story at last became extraordinary.
  • sound: Without wanting to sound repetitive, this disk simply looks and sounds extraordinary.
  • find: Which of verses 15 and 16 do you find more extraordinary?