What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
mediocris
Example
The food at the restaurant was mediocre. [mediocre: adjective]
Example
He was a mediocre student in high school. [mediocre: adjective]
ordinary
Example
The hotel room was ordinary, nothing special. [ordinary: adjective]
Example
She was just an ordinary person, nothing out of the ordinary. [ordinary: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Ordinary is more commonly used in everyday language than mediocris. Ordinary is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while mediocris is less common and refers specifically to something that is average or mediocre.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between mediocris and ordinary?
Both mediocris and ordinary are relatively neutral in terms of formality, and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.