- Today's Word
Quotidian
kwoh-TID-ee-uhn
Definition
- (adjective) Happening every day; ordinary or routine.
Example
Though quotidian, her morning coffee ritual brought her immense comfort.
Fun Fact
“Quotidian” comes from the Latin quotidianus, meaning “daily.” While it often describes mundane routines, many writers and philosophers celebrate the beauty of everyday life. The poet William Wordsworth found inspiration in quotidian moments, turning simple walks and ordinary people into powerful poetry. In psychology, mindfulness practices encourage people to appreciate the quotidian rather than overlook it.
(verb) To cause someone or something to appear foolish or absurd; to cause to lose enthusiasm or initiative through tedium or restrictive routine
Years of mindless data entry had stultified what was once one of the sharpest minds in the department.
Stultify derives from the Latin stultus (“foolish”) + facere (“to make”) — literally “to make foolish.” It entered English in the 18th century first as a legal term, describing the act of making oneself appear incompetent in order to avoid legal responsibility, before broadening to its modern sense of dulling or deadening the mind through boredom or oppressive routine.