Easy Way to Remember the Word Mundane

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Say it "mun DANE."

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connect this word to others:

The word we're checking out today, mundane, has some close synonyms we've studied before: b_n_l ("common, overdone, everyday, boring") and w__k_d__ ("ordinary and boring in a way that reminds you of the dull routine of a workday."). Could you recall both?

And, because mundane literally means "worldly," it's cousins with that beautiful term we checked out before that means "the soul of the world." Could you recall that one? It's a__m_ mundi.

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)

We took the word "mundane" from French, but we can trace it all the way back to the Latinmundus, meaning "the world."

In English, the oldest meaning of "mundane" is "earthly, worldly: not spiritual, and not heavenly." We still sometimes use that meaning today.

But because something "earthly, not heavenly, and commonplace" is often also "regular, boring, and dull," the word "mundane" took on that meaning, too, and it's the one we use most often today.

In other words, mundane things are dull, boring, uninteresting, and unexciting, usually because they're just a normal part of everyday life.

Part of speech:

Adjective: "these mundane tasks," "those activities are mundane."

Other forms:

The adverb is "mundanely."

For the noun, pick either "mundaneness" or my preference, "mundanity," pronounced "mun DANE ih dee."

When you need to sound a little serious or formal as you describe dull, routine, everyday things, then pick the common word "mundane."

Your tone might be neutral: "Her diary details the mundane aspects of her life."

Or it might be negative: "Why is this whole chapter about Bella doing her laundry and her homework? How mundane."

You might talk about mundane items, objects, tasks, chores, details, activities, procedures, events, concerns, etc.

Sometimes, when you pick the word "mundane," you're contrasting regular, everyday stuff with stuff that's strange, out of the ordinary, or even otherworldly: "Life in what everyone calls 'the bubble' is at once strange and mundane" (New York Times).

"Mamma would be doing something mundane like rummaging in the kitchen cupboard, greeting her casually with, 'Have you seen my saffron?'"
— Sandhya Menon, When Dimple Met Rishi, 2017

"'Nsukka is a little patch of dust in the middle of the bush, the cheapest land they could get to build the university on,' Kainene said. It was startling, how easily she slipped into mundane conversation."
— Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun, 2006

has this page helped you understand "mundane"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

Explain the meaning of "mundane" without saying "humdrum" or "day-to-day."

When you say the word "mundane," it almost sounds like "Monday," which is so appropriate, right? Because of all the days of the week, we find Monday the most humdrum and mundane, filled with tasks at work and school and home that are just so blah compared to the fun we had over the weekend.

You might very well ask if the words "mundane" and "Monday" are related, but there we have an interesting twist: while "mundane" comes from Latin and literally means "worldly, earthly;" "Monday" comes from Old English and literally means "the day belonging to the moon." Etymologically speaking, the two are nearly opposite.

Even though the two words are unrelated, I like to link them together in my memory anyway. Their resemblance is just so apt.

Think about what a typical Monday is like for you. What are some mundane tasks that you often take care of on Mondays?

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don't skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game this month isEveryday Etymologies!

If you're in the habit of looking up the etymologies of everyday words (wait, you aren't?), then you find, occasionally, certain ones that strike you as particularly apt, cute, strange, or poetic. I'd like to share some of those finds with you this month. In each issue, I'll give you the etymology of an everyday word, and you supply the word. We'll start easy and move into some tougher ones as the month goes on, but every answer will be an everyday kind of word, one you've been familiar with since, say, adolescence at least. To see the answer, scroll to the bottom of the issue.

Try this one today:This two-syllable adjective comes from Italian and literally means "a broken bench." Or, a little less literally, "a broken moneylender's shop."

1. A near opposite of MUNDANE is

A. BEAUTIFUL.
B. SUBSTANTIAL.
C. SUPERNATURAL.

2. In the New York Times, Scott Cacciola lists some spectacular feats that Kobe Bryant was known for: "the 81-point game, the scoring titles, the series-clinching jump shots, the three championships." And these feats were "rooted in the mundane," Cacciola says, "in the _____."

A. monotony of hard labor
B.

Olympic win against Spain
C. pain of a torn Achilles tendon

Answers to review questions:
1. C
2. A

Answer to the game question:

Bankrupt.

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.

I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.

To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.

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Source: https://www.hilotutor.com/archives_mundane.html

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