routine

[ roo-teen ]

noun

1. a customary or regular course of procedure.
2. commonplace tasks, chores, or duties as must be done regularly or at specified intervals; typical or everyday activity:

   the routine of an office.

3. regular, unvarying, habitual, unimaginative, or rote procedure.
4. an unvarying and constantly repeated formula, as of speech or action; convenient or predictable response:

   Don't give me that brotherly-love routine!

5. Computers.
   1. a complete set of coded instructions directing a computer to perform a series of operations.
   2. a series of operations performed by the computer.
6. an individual act, performance, or part of a performance, as a song or dance, given regularly by an entertainer:

   a comic routine; a dance routine.

adjective

1. of the nature of, proceeding by, or adhering to routine:

   routine duties.

2. dull or uninteresting; commonplace.

   Synonyms: typical, ordinary, habitual

routine

/ ruːˈtiːn /

noun

1. a usual or regular method of procedure, esp one that is unvarying
2. computing a program or part of a program performing a specific function

   an output routine

   an input routine

3. a set sequence of dance steps
4. informal.
   a hackneyed or insincere speech

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of routine

Derived Forms

• rouˈtinely, adverb

Other Words From

• rou·tine·ly adverb
• rou·tine·ness noun
• non·rou·tine adjective noun
• un·rou·tine adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of routine¹

First recorded in 1670–80; from French, derivative of route route

Word History and Origins

Origin of routine¹

C17: from Old French, from route a customary way, route

Example Sentences

To get them all passed on time, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. is racing against GOP senators who are trying to drag out the process by forcing time-consuming votes on typically routine procedural steps.

From Salon

People swallow or gargle the brews to combat routine bacterial infections.

From Salon

Professor Gillan explains "We are all different; depending on your neurobiology, it might make more sense to focus on avoiding cues than reducing stress or allowing yourself more time for your daily routine."

From Science Daily

Multhaup said his investigator simply located the juror through routine research, and contacted them prior to the terms of Olmedo’s order taking effect on Sept. 17.

From Los Angeles Times

I had got to a point where I was getting in a monotonous routine of auditioning, stand-up, podcasting, and waiting to be on people’s stuff.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• conventional
• everyday
• normal
• ordinary
• periodic
• regular
• unremarkable
• usual