mundane

Pronunciation

• IPA: /mʌnˈdeɪn/^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English mondeine, borrowed from Old French mondain (“worldly”),^{[2][3][4][5][6]} from Late Latin mundānus (“belonging to the world”),^{[2][3][4][5][6]} from Latin mundus (“world, universe”).^{[2][3][4][5][6]} Latin mundus “world” was used to translate Greek kósmos, and is identical in form with mundus “clean, elegant”, though the connection is uncertain.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Of this world, earthly, as contrasted with heaven (about 1451 in Barnhart; 1475 in the OED).^[3][7]

Semantic evolution

Following mundus as a translation of kósmos, the word also meant “cosmic, of the universe” (1642), as in mundane soul for the Platonic world-soul.^[7] In astrology it meant “relating to the horizon” (1687).^[7] The extended sense “ordinary, commonplace, dull” is recorded by 1850,^[4] and is now the most common.^[5][6]

Timeline

• c. 1451 – of this world, earthly.^[3]
• 1642 – cosmic, of the universe.^[7]
• 1687 – in astrology, relating to the horizon.^[7]
• 1850 – dull, ordinary.^[4]

Modern meaning

Adjective

1. Commonplace, ordinary or dull, as in mundane daily tasks.
2. Of or relating to this world rather than a spiritual one; worldly or secular.
3. Of or relating to the universe; cosmic.

Word family

• mundanely
• mundaneness
• mundanity

Related words

• cosmos
• worldly
• secular
• earthly

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
3. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
4. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b c d Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
7. ^ a b c d e Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press