Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 31, 2024 is: quotidian \kwoh-TID-ee-un\ adjective

Something described as quotidian occurs every day or occurs routinely or typically. More broadly, quotidian is used as a synonym of [commonplace](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commonplace) and [ordinary](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ordinary).

// The article offers suggestions on how to [gamify](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gamification) quotidian tasks.

[See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quotidian)

Examples:

"Ultimately, the beauty creators offered a behind-the-scenes look at how these top glam squads find quotidian ways to keep their creativity thriving." — Eda Yu, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Nov. 2023

Did you know?

In William Shakespeare's play [As You Like It](https://www.britannica.com/topic/As-You-Like-It), the character Rosalind observes that Orlando, who has been running about in the woods carving her name on trees and hanging love poems on branches, "seems to have the quotidian of love upon him." The [Bard's](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bard) use doesn't make it clear that quotidian comes from a Latin word, quotidie, which means "every day." But as odd as it may seem, his use of quotidian is just a short semantic step away from the "daily" adjective sense. Some fevers come and go but occur daily; in medical use, these are called "quotidian fevers" or simply "quotidians." Poor Orlando is afflicted with such a "fever" of love.