different between extraordinary vs quixotic

English

Alternative forms

• extra-ordinary
• extraördinary (rare)

Etymology

From Latin extr??rdin?rius, from extr? ?rdinem (“outside the order”); equivalent to extra- +? ordinary. Doublet of extraordinaire.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?ks?t???(?)d?n??i/, /?ks?t???(?)d?n?i/, /??kst?????(?)d?n??i/, /??kst?????(?)d?n?i/
• Hyphenation: ex?traor?di?na?ry

Adjective

extraordinary (comparative more extraordinary, superlative most extraordinary)

1. Not ordinary; exceptional; unusual.
2. Remarkably good.

3. Special or supernumerary.

   the physician extraordinary in a royal household

   an extraordinary professor in a German university

Synonyms

• exceptional
• unparalleled
• noteworthy
• outstanding

Antonyms

• everyday, normal, ordinary, regular, usual

Derived terms

• extraordinary optical transmission
• extraordinary professor
• extraordinary rendition

Translations

Noun

extraordinary (plural extraordinaries)

1. Anything that goes beyond what is ordinary.
   • 1787, The New Annual Register

     […] the sum that will probably be wanted for each head of service during the year: it is divided into the ordinary, and the extraordinaries.

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish Quixote, the surname of Don Quixote, the titular character in the novel by Miguel de Cervantes, +? -ic.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /kw?k?s?t?k/
• (US) IPA^(key): /kw?k?s?t?k/, /kw???z?t?k/, /ki??z?t?k/
• (rare) IPA^(key): /ki??t?k/
• Rhymes: -?t?k

Adjective

quixotic (comparative more quixotic, superlative most quixotic)

1. Possessing or acting with the desire to do noble and romantic deeds, without thought of realism and practicality; exceedingly idealistic.
2. Impulsive.
3. Like Don Quixote; romantic to extravagance; absurdly chivalric; apt to be deluded.

Usage notes

Although the term is derived from the name of the character Don Quixote, the letters qu and x are both read as is usual for English spelling (/kw/ and /ks/), possibly due to analogy with exotic. In "Don Quixote", by contrast, the pronunciation more closely resembles the modern Spanish (/k/ and /h~x/).

Derived terms

• quixotically

Translations