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Is there any one word which can describe everyday things?

By this, I mean things we commonly regard as things most people do every day, like taking a shower, brushing your teeth, getting dressed, going to work or school, and eating dinner.

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4 Answers

up vote 19 down vote accepted

"Quotidian" is a good word, although it may be a little too highbrow.

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Well, if more people use it, it will stop seeming so highbrow! – Malvolio May 15 '11 at 19:16
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+1 because it's perfect and I'd never heard of it. – Garet Claborn May 15 '11 at 23:46
Perfect! Thank you! That was exactly what I was looking for :) – Leif May 16 '11 at 1:44
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When I saw this question I immediately thought of the Spanish word cotidiano, which is very common in that language. – Josh Leitzel May 16 '11 at 8:34
up vote 22 down vote

routine:

noun 1. a customary or regular course of procedure. 2. commonplace tasks, chores, or duties as must be done regularly or at specified intervals; typical or everyday activity: the routine of an office. 3. regular, unvarying, habitual, unimaginative, or rote procedure.

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up vote 15 down vote

The word mundane can be appropriate here, as it can be used to refer to things that are common or ordinary. Brushing your teeth or taking a shower are indeed mundane activities. Note that this can have a bit of a negative connotation, suggesting that the activities are common enough to be boring. If you want to avoid the negative connotation, routine (as suggested by gbutters) may be a better choice.

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+1 as this was my answer also :) – Garet Claborn May 15 '11 at 23:44
up vote 0 down vote

a word to describe everyday things. Things is about as general a word as I can think of...how about

commonplace

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