The difference between Extraordinary and Garden variety

When used as adjectives, extraordinary means not ordinary, whereas garden variety means ordinary, common, or unexceptional.


Extraordinary is also noun with the meaning: anything that goes beyond what is ordinary.

check bellow for the other definitions of Extraordinary and Garden variety

  1. Extraordinary as an adjective:

    Not ordinary; exceptional; unusual.

  2. Extraordinary as an adjective:

    Remarkably good.

    Examples:

    "an extraordinary poet"

  3. Extraordinary as an adjective:

    Special or supernumerary.

    Examples:

    "the physician extraordinary in a royal household"

    "an extraordinary professor in a German university"

  1. Extraordinary as a noun:

    Anything that goes beyond what is ordinary.

  1. Garden variety as an adjective (idiomatic):

    Ordinary, common, or unexceptional.

    Examples:

    "I can usually recover from a garden variety cold with rest and fluids."