mediocrity en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- [mi.dɪˈɑk.ɹɪ.ɾi] (US)
- /mi.dɪˈɑk.ɹɪ.ti/ (US)
- (Southern-England) audio
- /miː.dɪˈɒk.ɹɪ.ti/ (UK)
Etymology
From Middle French médiocrité, from Latin mediocritās, from mediocris; by surface analysis, mediocre + -ity.
Meanings
-
(uncountable) The condition of being mediocre; having only an average degree of quality, skills etc.; no better than standard.
Flexibility is good, but a tolerance for mediocrity carried far enough impairs operational capacity.
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.
2021 March 28, Phil McNulty, “Albania 0-2 England”, in BBC Sport:
-
(countable) A person with mediocre abilities or achievements.
Faith is not a sign of weakness or ignorance; on the contrary, those who have no faith or do not feel the need for it are mediocrities.
1978 [1976], Leszek Kołakowski, translated by P[aul] S[teven] Falla, Main Currents of Marxism, volume II: The Golden Age, Oxford: Clarendon Press, translation of Główne nurty marksizmu: rozwój (in Polish), →ISBN, →OCLC, page 123:surrounded by mediocrities
populated with mediocrities
- (archaic, countable, uncountable) The quality of being intermediate between two extremes; a mean.
-
(countable, obsolete, uncountable) A middle course of action; moderation, balance.
In adversity I wish for prosperity, and in prosperity I am afraid of adversity. What mediocrity may be found?
1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC:Sundrie other Gent[lemen] reſt beholden to this hundred, for their dvvellings, vvho, in an enuiable mediocritie of fortune, do happilie poſſeſſe themſelues, and communicate their ſufficient means to the ſeruice of their prince, the good of their neighbours, and the bettering of their ovvn eſtate: […]
1609, Richard Carew, “The Second Booke”, in The Survey of Cornwall, London: […] S[imon] S[tafford] for Iohn Iaggard, […], →OCLC, folio 117, verso:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| mediocrities | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
poorness · inadequacy · excellence · insufficiency · midness
Deriveds
mediocritize · multimediocrity · mediocrity principle · submediocrity · mediocritist · golden mediocrity
Relateds
medium · median · mediation · mediator · mediocre · mean · mediate
Synonyms
Translations (38)
et keskpärasus (condition of being mediocre) · es medianía (condition of being mediocre) · pl przeciętność (condition of being mediocre) · et keskpära (condition of being mediocre) · ja 平凡 (condition of being mediocre) · pt mediocridade (condition of being mediocre) · tl dampat (condition of being mediocre) · sh medìokris (condition of being mediocre) · cs průměrnost (condition of being mediocre) · ja 凡庸 (condition of being mediocre) · ga lagmheasarthacht (condition of being mediocre) · nl middelmatigheid (condition of being mediocre) · it mediocrità (condition of being mediocre) · nb middelmådighet (condition of being mediocre) · es mediocridad (condition of being mediocre) · mk медиокрите́т (condition of being mediocre) · ru посре́дственность (condition of being mediocre) · hy միջակություն (condition of being mediocre) · el μετριότητα (condition of being mediocre) · be пасрэднасць (condition of being mediocre) · sh медиокрѝте̄т (condition of being mediocre) · ru зауря́дность (condition of being mediocre) · ca mediocritat (condition of being mediocre) · mk про́сечност (condition of being mediocre) · pl mierność (condition of being mediocre) · bg посредственост (condition of being mediocre) · fi keskinkertaisuus (condition of being mediocre) · sh медѝокрис (condition of being mediocre) · tl kadampatan (condition of being mediocre) · fr médiocrité (condition of being mediocre) · fi keskivertous (condition of being mediocre) · tl karampatan (condition of being mediocre) · sh mediokrìtēt (condition of being mediocre) · af middelmatigheid (condition of being mediocre) · gl mediocridade (condition of being mediocre) · de Mittelmäßigkeit (condition of being mediocre) · de Mittelmaß (condition of being mediocre) · sv medelmåttlighet (condition of being mediocre)