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extraordinary

Pronunciation: /ɪkˈstrɔːd(ə)n(ə)ri, ɛk-, ˌɛkstrəˈɔːdɪn(ə)ri/

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Definition of extraordinary

adjective

  • 1very unusual or remarkable:the extraordinary plumage of the male [with clause]:it is extraordinary that no consultation took place
  • unusually great:young children need extraordinary amounts of attention
  • 2 [attributive] (of a meeting) specially convened:an extraordinary session of the Congress
  • [postpositive] (of an official) specially employed in addition to the usual staff:an Ambassador Extraordinary

noun

(usually extraordinaries)
  • an item in a company’s accounts not arising from its normal activities. Compare with exceptional.

Derivatives

extraordinarily

adverb
[as submodifier]:an extraordinarily beautiful girl

extraordinariness

noun

Origin:

late Middle English: from Latin extraordinarius, from extra ordinem 'outside the normal course of events'

Spelling help

Spell extraordinary with extra- at the beginning (it is made up of the words extra and ordinary).

Spelling tip

the meal was absolutely outstanding; quite extraordinary.

extraordinary in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of extraordinary in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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