As a result, English speakers started using prosaic to refer to anything considered matter-of-fact or ordinary, and they gradually transformed it into a synonym for "colorless," "drab," "lifeless," …

But she drops in prosaic, stinging touches of realism -- of gossip, envy, suppressed thoughts and misunderstandings.

PROSAIC definition: commonplace or dull; matter-of-fact or unimaginative. See examples of prosaic used in a sentence.

Definition of prosaic adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

1. commonplace or dull; matter-of-fact; unimaginative: a prosaic mind. 2. of or like prose rather than poetry. [1650–60; < Late Latin prōsaicus. See prose, -ic]

Factsheet What does the word prosaic mean? There are six meanings listed in OED's entry for the word prosaic. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Something that is prosaic is dull and uninteresting. His instructor offered a more prosaic explanation for the surge in interest.

Dec 10, 2025 · (of writing or speaking) Straightforward; matter-of-fact; lacking the feeling or elegance of poetry. I was simply making the prosaic point that we are running late. His account …

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Prosaic means ordinary or dull. Most of us lead a prosaic everyday life, sometimes interrupted by some drama or crisis.