quotidian

adjective

quo·​tid·​i·​an kwō-ˈti-dē-ən 

1

: occurring every day

quotidian fever

2

a

: belonging to each day : everyday

quotidian routine

b

: commonplace, ordinary

quotidian drabness

quotidian noun

Did you know?

In William Shakespeare's play As You Like It, the character Rosalind observes that Orlando, who has been running about in the woods carving her name on trees and hanging love poems on branches, "seems to have the quotidian of love upon him." The Bard's use doesn't make it clear that quotidian comes from a Latin word, quotidie, which means "every day." But as odd as it may seem, his use of quotidian is just a short semantic step away from the "daily" adjective sense. Some fevers come and go but occur daily; in medical use, these are called "quotidian fevers" or simply "quotidians." Poor Orlando is afflicted with such a "fever" of love.

Synonyms

• common
• common or garden [chiefly British]
• commonplace
• everyday
• familiar
• frequent
• garden-variety
• household
• ordinary
• routine
• ubiquitous
• usual

Examples of quotidian in a Sentence

not content with the quotidian quarrels that other couples had, they had rows that shook the entire neighborhood

plagued by a quotidian coughing fit, the result of years of smoking

Recent Examples on the Web

While the ethically-dubious deeds of the rich and famous get a lot of media attention, the trusts are often used in much more quotidian affairs—such as by one partner to shield assets during a divorce, lawyers say. —Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2024

This is not a show celebrating the rare and exquisite remnants of sartorial history but the quotidian pieces of American women—a category of fashion often overlooked in fashion media and academia. —Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 27 Sep. 2024

One work, Aluminum Steel (1971), showcases her ability to draw inspiration from rather quotidian sources and experiences. —Sarah Rose Sharp, ARTnews.com, 9 July 2024

That research led Taylor’s team to pick up quotidian details underscoring how life works in such a difficult climate. —Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cotidian, from Anglo-French, from Latin quotidianus, cotidianus, from quotidie every day, from quot (as) many as + dies day — more at deity

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Medical Definition

quotidian

1 of 2 adjective

quo·​tid·​i·​an kwō-ˈtid-ē-ən 

: occurring every day

quotidian fever

quotidian

2 of 2 noun

: something (as an intermittent fever) that occurs each day