usual

A2 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled usuald

US /ˈju.ʒuəl/ UK /ˈjuː.ʒʊəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #1622

Meanings

1

adj
Happening or done most of the time; normal and expected.

We met at our usual time on Friday afternoon.
2

noun
The thing, such as a drink or meal, that someone normally orders.

He sat down at the bar and asked for the usual.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · happening or done most of... common commonplace average

Appears in

Idioms (1)

See all

business as usual
normal activities continuing despite a disruption or unusual circumstances

Simplified etymology

Usual entered English in the Middle Ages and derives from Latin usus ‘a use’. It shares this origin with use and utility.

Etymology

From Middle English usual, from Old French usuel, from Latin ūsuālis (“for use, fit for use, also of common use, customary, common, ordinary, usual”), from ūsus (“use, habit, custom”), from the past participle stem of ūtī (“to use”), possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃eyt- (“to take along, fetch”). Displaced native Old English ġewunelīċ.

usual Middle English usuel Old French ūsuālis Latin *h₃eyt- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# usual

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈju.ʒuəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈjuː.ʒʊəl/
**Frequency rank:** 1622

## Meanings
1. Happening or done most of the time; normal and expected.
2. The thing, such as a drink or meal, that someone normally orders.

## Examples
- We met at our usual time on Friday afternoon.
- He sat down at the bar and asked for the usual.

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: usual
- Root: usuel
- Root: ūsuālis
- Root: *h₃eyt-

## Etymology
From Middle English usual, from Old French usuel, from Latin ūsuālis (“for use, fit for use, also of common use, customary, common, ordinary, usual”), from ūsus (“use, habit, custom”), from the past participle stem of ūtī (“to use”), possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃eyt- (“to take along, fetch”). Displaced native Old English ġewunelīċ.

## AI Etymology
Usual is from Middle English usual, from Old French usuel, from Latin ūsuālis (“for use, fit for use, also of common use, customary, common, ordinary, usual”), from ūsus (“use, habit, custom”), from the past participle stem of ūtī (“to use”), possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃eyt- (“to take along, fetch”). Displaced native Old English ġewunelīċ. In present-day use, it can mean happening or done most of the time; normal and expected, or the thing, such as a drink or meal, that someone normally orders.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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