mediocre

[ mee-dee-oh-ker ]

adjective

1. of only ordinary or moderate quality; neither good nor bad; barely adequate:

   The car gets only mediocre mileage, but it's fun to drive.

   Synonyms: run-of-the-mill, everyday, pedestrian, commonplace, undistinguished

   Antonyms: incomparable, uncommon, superior, extraordinary

2. not satisfactory; poor; inferior:

   Mediocre construction makes that building dangerous.

   Synonyms: so-so, second-rate, low-quality, meager

   Antonyms: superior, excellent

mediocre

/ ˌmiːdɪˈəʊkə; ˈmiːdɪˌəʊkə /

adjective

1. derogatory.
   average or ordinary in quality

   a mediocre book

Other Words From

• subme·di·ocre adjective
• super·medi·ocre adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mediocre¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Middle French, from Latin mediocris “in a middle state,” literally, “at middle height,” equivalent to medi(us) “center, middle” + Old Latin ocris “rugged mountain,” cognate with Greek ókris, akin to ákros “apex”; compare Umbrian ocar “hill, citadel”; mid ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of mediocre¹

C16: via French from Latin mediocris moderate, literally: halfway up the mountain, from medius middle + ocris stony mountain

Example Sentences

It also doesn’t help that the characters are mediocre at best, with only Sadness — a troubled spirit Marianne tries to help throughout her journey — inspiring a small measure of interest as the two gain one another’s trust.

From Washington Post

There at the Capitol lies the worst of us, as well as our mediocre selves.

From Washington Post

It means that even small or mediocre projects have their value, because they give creators experience, and maybe a paycheck, so they can stick around and work another day.

From MIT Technology Review

People began throwing together mediocre content, inserting as many links into it as possible, and shopping it around to any website that would publish it.

From Search Engine Watch

Results might have been challenged if a team with the 11th to 16th best record in the sport — such mediocre clubs have never been allowed in October before — had somehow gotten hot and grabbed a crown.

From Washington Post

To call them mediocre, uninspiring, and stale would be overly generous.

From The Daily Beast

Jeremy Lin exploded onto the stage as the breakout star of one in a long line of mediocre New York Knicks seasons in 2011-12.

From The Daily Beast

He also took cobbling lessons, eventually becoming good enough to do a mediocre job replacing a pair of soles.

From The Daily Beast

One will not know until the next round—the quarterfinals—when this mediocre Brazil team will once again flirt with defeat.

From The Daily Beast

But it is doggedly, almost deliberately mediocre in every way.

From The Daily Beast

Although a capable specialist, as regards general culture and intelligence Ilia Petrovich had only a mediocre equipment.

From Project Gutenberg

For even an indifferent photographer is in closer harmony with nature than a mediocre poet.'

From Project Gutenberg

He no longer perceives the defects of his work—does not know that it is mediocre or bad.

From Project Gutenberg

The resources offered by this country to sportsmen were mediocre in the extreme.

From Project Gutenberg

Never praise heartily, that is the sign of an intelligence not mediocre.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• decent
• dull
• inferior
• middling
• ordinary
• second-rate
• so-so
• undistinguished
• uninspired