usual

Usual is an adjective that describes what happens most often, or what is standard in a given context. It denotes something ordinary, habitual, or expected rather than unusual or exceptional. In everyday usage, the usual can refer to a default option, an expected outcome, or the common experience of a group. The phrase the usual can function as a noun-like expression, referring to the item or person normally involved, as in the usual place or the usual suspects. The adverbial construction as usual signals that something occurs in the normal way, for example, “As usual, the train was late.”

Etymology and form: Usual derives from Old French usuel or usuelle, from Latin usus meaning use or practice, with the English suffix -al forming an adjective. The sense evolved from “in use” to “in common practice” and then to “habitual” or “typical.”

Usage notes: Usual is commonly contrasted with synonyms such as customary, habitual, typical, ordinary, and conventional. Usual emphasizes what is most common in a particular context or situation rather than a universal rule. It often appears in phrases like the usual route, the usual routine, or the usual price. The idiomatic expressions the usual and as usual are widely used: the usual can point to a familiar item or person, while as usual signals that something proceeds in the expected manner, often with a sense of routine or resignation.

See also: related terms include customary, typical, ordinary, habitual, and conventional; phrases such as “the usual” and “as usual” are common in English discourse.