common or garden variety

4.4

Ordinary and not special, like a simple jacket you can buy anywhere

adjective

: común y corriente

He's just a common or garden variety of pickpocket.

Examples

The restaurant serves common or garden variety dishes that you can find anywhere.
Her excuses were just the common or garden variety that everyone uses.
He prefers common or garden variety novels instead of complex literary works.

Synonyms

average

vscommon or garden variety

∞ 1.0

Ordinary and not very good

is the broader phrase that highlights plainness rather than numerical centrality

usual

vscommon or garden variety

∞ 1.0

Happening most of the time in a normal way

is the longer idiomatic phrase used to mean the same frequency idea

typical

vscommon or garden variety

843 1.0

Having the usual qualities of a person, thing, or group

is the general phrase that labels plain, non-special examples without category focus

common

vscommon or garden variety

797 1.0

Happening often or seen in many places

is the multiword expression people use to say the same frequently seen idea

ordinary

vscommon or garden variety

683 1.0

Normal and not special or unusual

is the longer phrasing rather than the concise single-word label

everyday

vscommon or garden variety

276 1.0

Ordinary clothes or things used in daily life, not for special occasions

is the general phrase used beyond only daily or practical cases

routine

vscommon or garden variety

263 1.0

Happening as a usual part of daily life

is the idiomatic phrase often used for general plainness, not only regular actions

conventional

vscommon or garden variety

175 2.8

Doing things in the usual way most people expect, not new or original

is the general phrase that names plainness beyond social rule conformity

mundane

vscommon or garden variety

80 4.3

Ordinary daily things or events that are not special and often feel boring

is the general phrase focusing on lack of specialness without added dullness

customary

vscommon or garden variety

70 3.5

Something done because of tradition or habit

is the phrase that marks plainness without stressing tradition or habit

commonplace

vscommon or garden variety

54 3.4

Ordinary and not special or new

is the well-known phrase form rather than this single-word label

basic

vscommon or garden variety

Offensive

46 8.6

Very ordinary and lacking original ideas

is a neutral descriptive phrase without the negative, mocking stance

run-of-the-mill

vscommon or garden variety

Informal

24 3.3

Ordinary and not special

is the general phrase that names not-special things in many contexts

garden variety

vscommon or garden variety

Informal

20 3.5

Common and not special or unusual

is the fuller phrase form rather than the shortened two-word form

unremarkable

vscommon or garden variety

20 3.5

Being ordinary and not interesting

is the neutral label for being not special without judging interest

unexceptional

vscommon or garden variety

3 4.4

Not special or impressive, just ordinary

is the familiar phrase used for the same not-special idea

quotidian

vscommon or garden variety

3 8.2

Common events or things that happen every day

is the more frequent phrase used in speech rather than that single-word form

unextraordinary

vscommon or garden variety

1 4.0

Not special or exciting

is the familiar phrase variant used to express the same plain idea

reg

vscommon or garden variety

Informal

1 8.1

Of the usual size, not extra large or small

is the fuller phrase used in general speech rather than the short abbreviation

common-and-garden

vscommon or garden variety

4.9

Ordinary and not special

is the alternate longer phrasing rather than the hyphenated version

nonexceptional

vscommon or garden variety

5.3

Not special or unusual

is the multiword phrase often chosen instead of this single-word expression

stock

vscommon or garden variety

3.3

Something that is common and not special

is the phrase used for plain examples, not limited to store items

Antonyms

special

∞ 1.0

Made for a particular person, purpose, or occasion

How Ordinary

run-of-the-mill

Informal

24 3.3

common or garden variety

4.4

typical

843 1.0

unusual

∞ 2.2

exceptional

129 4.1

Surface Forms

common or garden variety positive

Morphology

common + or + garden + variety

The components 'garden' + 'variety' loosely suggest a type or kind you might find in a garden (i.e. an ordinary/example variety), so there is a partial, compositional clue to 'ordinary'. However, the fixed idiomatic pattern 'common or garden variety' and the odd insertion of 'or garden' make the exact evaluative sense ('not special') not fully predictable for a B1 learner without prior exposure.

Etymology

Common or garden variety comes from the image of simple plants you find in any garden, a plain variety that many people grow. So it means 'ordinary' or 'not special'.