mediocrity

English

Etymology

From Latin mediocritās, from mediocris.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /miːdɪˈɒkɹɪti/

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.
   • 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, 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.
4. An individual with mediocre abilities or achievements.

Related terms

• mean
• medium
• mediate
• mediation
• mediator
• median
• mediocre

Translations

condition of being mediocre

• Catalan: mediocritat (ca) f
• Czech: průměrnost (cs) n
• German: Mittelmäßigkeit (de) f, Mittelmaß (de) n
• Greek: μετριότητα (el) (metriótita) f
• Irish: lagmheasarthacht (ga) f

• Macedonian: медиокритет (mk) (mediokritét) m, просечност (mk) (prósečnost) f
• Russian: посредственность (ru) (posr'édstv'ennost') f, заурядность (ru) (zaur'ádnost') f
• Serbo-Croatian: mediokritet (sh) m, mediokris (sh) m
• Spanish: mediocridad (es) f

Anagrams

• iridectomy