Adjacent Words

Extraordinary definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

EXTRAOR'DINARY, a. extror'dinary. [L. extraordinarius; extra and ordinarius, usual, from ordo, order.]
1. Beyond or out of the common order or method; not in the usual, customary or regular course; not ordinary. Extraordinary evils require extraordinary remedies.
2. Exceeding the common degree or measure; hence, remarkable; uncommon; rare; wonderful; as the extraordinary talents of Shakespeare; the extraordinary powers of Newton; an edifice of extraordinary grandeur.
3. Special; particular; sent for a special purpose, or on a particular occasion; as an extraordinary courier or messenger; an embassador extraordinary; a gazette extraordinary.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable; "extraordinary authority"; "an extraordinary achievement"; "her extraordinary beauty"; "enjoyed extraordinary popularity"; "an extraordinary capacity for work"; "an extraordinary session of the legislature" [ant: ordinary]
2: far more than usual or expected; "an extraordinary desire for approval"; "it was an over-the-top experience" [syn: extraordinary, over-the-top, sinful]
3: (of an official) serving an unusual or special function in addition to those of the regular officials; "an ambassador extraordinary"

Merriam Webster's

adjective Etymology: Middle English extraordinarie, from Latin extraordinarius, from extra ordinem out of course, from extra + ordinem, accusative of ordin-, ordo order Date: 15th century 1. a. going beyond what is usual, regular, or customary <extraordinary powers> b. exceptional to a very marked extent <extraordinary beauty> c. of a financial transaction nonrecurring 2. employed for or sent on a special function or service <an ambassador extraordinary> • extraordinarily adverb • extraordinariness noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. 1 unusual or remarkable; out of the usual course. 2 unusually great (an extraordinary talent). 3 a (of an official etc.) additional; specially employed (envoy extraordinary). b (of a meeting) specially convened. Derivatives: extraordinarily adv. extraordinariness n. Etymology: L extraordinarius f. extra ordinem outside the usual order

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Extraordinary Ex*traor"di*na*ry, a. [L. extraordinarius; extra on the outside + ordinarius: cf. F. extraordinaire. See Ordinary.] 1. Beyond or out of the common order or method; not usual, customary, regular, or ordinary; as, extraordinary evils; extraordinary remedies. Which dispose To something extraordinary my thoughts. --Milton. 2. Exceeding the common degree, measure. or condition; hence, remarkable; uncommon; rare; wonderful; as, extraordinary talents or grandeur. 3. Employed or sent upon an unusual or special service; as, an ambassador extraordinary.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Extraordinary Ex*traor"di*na*ry, n.; pl. Extraordinaries. That which is extraordinary; -- used especially in the plural; as, extraordinaries excepted, there is nothing to prevent success. Their extraordinary did consist especially in the matter of prayers and devotions. --Jer. Taylor.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. If you describe something or someone as extraordinary, you mean that they have some extremely good or special quality. We've made extraordinary progress as a society in that regard... The task requires extraordinary patience and endurance... Rozhdestvensky is an extraordinary musician. = exceptional, remarkable, amazing ADJ: usu ADJ n [approval] • extraordinarily She's extraordinarily disciplined. = exceptionally ADV: ADV adj 2. If you describe something as extraordinary, you mean that it is very unusual or surprising. What an extraordinary thing to happen!... His decision to hold talks is extraordinary because it could mean the real end of the war. = remarkable, amazing ADJ [emphasis] • extraordinarily Apart from the hair, he looked extraordinarily unchanged... Extraordinarily, the favourites for the title lie at the bottom of the table. = remarkably ADV: ADV adj/adv, ADV with cl 3. An extraordinary meeting is arranged specially to deal with a particular situation or problem, rather than happening regularly. (FORMAL) ...at an extraordinary meeting of the sport's ruling body... ADJ: ADJ n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. Remarkable, unusual, uncommon, singular, signal, egregious, rare, extra, out of the way, unheard of, more than common.

Moby Thesaurus

abnormal, absolute, amazing, appalling, astonishing, astounding, beguiling, bewildering, bizarre, celebrated, certain, concrete, conspicuous, curious, defined, definite, detailed, determinate, different, distinct, distinguished, egregious, eminent, enigmatic, esoteric, especial, esteemed, estimable, exceptional, express, fabulous, fantastic, fascinating, fixed, formidable, gorgeous, impressive, improbable, incomprehensible, inconceivable, incredible, indescribable, individual, ineffable, inner, intimate, legendary, lovely, marked, marvelous, memorable, minute, miraculous, more than expected, mythical, noble, notable, noteworthy, noticeable, odd, of mark, out-of-the-way, outlandish, outstanding, particular, passing strange, past expectation, peculiar, personal, phenomenal, portentous, precise, prestigious, private, prodigious, prominent, puzzling, queer, rare, remarkable, rememberable, reputable, respective, salient, sensational, several, signal, singular, smashing, solipsistic, special, specific, strange, striking, stupefying, stupendous, sudden, super, superior, surprising, telling, terrific, unannounced, unanticipated, unbelievable, uncommon, undivined, unexampled, unexpected, unforeseeable, unforeseen, unforgettable, unguessed, unheard-of, unheralded, unhoped for, unimaginable, unique, unordinary, unparalleled, unprecedented, unpredictable, unpredicted, unprepared for, unreal, unspeakable, unthinkable, unusual, unwonted, without warning, wonderful, wondrous