Extraordinaire

Extraordinaire is an adjective of French origin meaning outside the ordinary or exceptionally good. In English, it functions as a magnifying epithet to denote remarkable skill or achievement, typically in the construction noun + extraordinaire (for example, chef extraordinaire) or as an ironic or playful intensifier in prose.

Etymology and usage history: the word comes from the French extraordinaire, formed from extra- meaning “outside” and ordinaire meaning “ordinary.” The sense is parallel to the Latin ordinarius. English usage dates from at least the 18th century and has persisted as a stylistic device in contemporary writing, especially in media, literature, and casual praise.

Usage notes: in running text, extraordinaire is normally written in lowercase. Capitalization may occur only when starting a sentence or for deliberate stylistic emphasis. The form as a standalone noun is uncommon and tends to be humorous or rhetorical; more often it appears as part of a compound after the noun it modifies, as in “artist extraordinaire” or “chef extraordinaire.” The phrase carries a light, laudatory register and is less about formal title than about expressive emphasis.