mediocrity

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English

Etymology

From Middle French médiocrité, from Latin mediocritās, from mediocris.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /miː.dɪˈɒk.ɹɪ.ti/
    • Audio (Southern England)(file)
  • (US) IPA(key): /mi.dɪˈɑk.ɹɪ.ti/,

Noun

mediocrity (countable and uncountable, plural mediocrities)

  1. (now rare) The quality of being intermediate between two extremes; a mean.
  2. (obsolete) A middle course of action; moderation, balance.
    • 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: , 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC:
      , New York Review Books 2001, p.273:
      In adversity I wish for prosperity, and in prosperity I am afraid of adversity. What mediocrity may be found?
  3. (uncountable) The condition of being mediocre; having only an average degree of quality, skills etc.; no better than standard.
    • 2021 March 28, Phil McNulty, “Albania 0-2 England”, in BBC Sport‎:
      England captain Harry Kane lifted the mediocrity of an attritional first half on a slow surface when he scored his 33rd goal for his country, a superbly guided diving header from Luke Shaw's cross seven minutes before the interval.
  4. A person with mediocre abilities or achievements.

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