EXTRAORDINARY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does extraordinary mean? 

• EXTRAORDINARY (adjective)
  The adjective EXTRAORDINARY has 3 senses:

1. beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable

2. far more than usual or expected

3. (of an official) serving an unusual or special function in addition to those of the regular officials

  Familiarity information: EXTRAORDINARY used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EXTRAORDINARY (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable

Context example:

an extraordinary session of the legislature

Similar:

phenomenal (exceedingly or unbelievably great)

wonderworking (performing or able to perform wonders or miracles)

special (for a special service or occasion)

some (remarkable)

remarkable; singular (unusual or striking)

rare; uncommon (marked by an uncommon quality; especially superlative or extreme of its kind)

pyrotechnic (suggestive of fireworks)

preternatural; uncanny (surpassing the ordinary or normal)

one; right ((informal) very; used informally as an intensifier)

great (remarkable or out of the ordinary in degree or magnitude or effect)

awful; frightful; terrible; tremendous (extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact)

fantastic; grand; howling; marvellous; marvelous; rattling; terrific; tremendous; wonderful; wondrous (extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers)

extraordinaire (extraordinary in a particular capacity)

exceeding; exceptional; olympian; prodigious; surpassing (far beyond what is usual in magnitude or degree)

bonzer (remarkable or wonderful)

Also:

impressive (making a strong or vivid impression)

incomparable; uncomparable (such that comparison is impossible; unsuitable for comparison or lacking features that can be compared)

unusual (not usual or common or ordinary)

uncommon (not common or ordinarily encountered; unusually great in amount or remarkable in character or kind)

superior (of high or superior quality or performance)

Attribute:

mundaneness; mundanity; ordinariness (the quality of being commonplace and ordinary)

Antonym:

ordinary (not exceptional in any way especially in quality or ability or size or degree)

Derivation:

extraordinariness (the quality of being extraordinary and not commonly encountered)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Far more than usual or expected

Synonyms:

extraordinary; over-the-top; sinful

Context example:

it was an over-the-top experience

Similar:

immoderate (beyond reasonable limits)

Derivation:

extraordinariness (the quality of being extraordinary and not commonly encountered)

Sense 3

Meaning:

(of an official) serving an unusual or special function in addition to those of the regular officials

Context example:

an ambassador extraordinary

Similar:

unusual (not usual or common or ordinary)

 Context examples 

I was returning along the well-remembered route, and had reached a spot within a mile or so of the marsh of the pterodactyls, when I saw an extraordinary object approaching me.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

What makes this solar eclipse so extraordinary is that the Sun and Jupiter will align within hours of the eclipse, creating the Luckiest Day of the Year.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

His career has been an extraordinary one.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I examined the will with the deepest attention, pronounced it perfectly formal in all respects, made a pencil-mark or so in the margin, and thought it rather extraordinary that I knew so much.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Upon my word, Miss Anne Elliot, you have the most extraordinary taste!

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

Holmes and I had listened spellbound to this extraordinary story.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

With what an extraordinary smile you uttered that word—'very well,' Jane!

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

“This is a most extraordinary thing,” said the inspector, “I could swear that these marks were not here yesterday evening.”

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I certainly have had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

The gypsies, taking us as in some way the cause of the extraordinary disappearance of the dead man, turned, without a word, and rode away as if for their lives.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)