Word of the Day - 09/04/26
quotidian
/kwoʊ'tɪdiən/(adj.): of no special quality or interest; ordinary
The museum's collection included many quotidian objects, such as ordinary plates, tools, and household utensils that held no special artistic or historical interest.
(adj.): done, happening, or given daily
The quotidian routine of commuting to work and answering emails became a familiar part of his life.
Word Origin
The word 'quotidian' originates from the Late Latin 'quotidianus' (or 'cottidianus'), meaning "daily". This, in turn, comes from the Latin adverb 'quotidie' (or 'cottidie'), which means "daily" or "every day". The Latin 'quotidie' is formed from two parts: 'quot', meaning "how many" or "as many as", and 'dies', meaning "day".
Words with a similar origin include 'diurnal', which also comes from the Latin 'dies' (day) and refers to something happening daily or during the day. Another related word is 'diary', which is a record of daily events, also stemming from 'dies'. From the 'quot' component, we have words like 'quota', meaning a fixed share or amount, and 'quotient', the result of a division, both relating to "how many".