Of moderate or low quality, neither good nor bad; ordinary or unremarkable.
From Latin 'mediocris' meaning 'of middle height' or 'moderate', from 'medius' (middle) and 'ocris' (rugged mountain). Originally described something halfway up a mountain, neither at the base nor the peak.
This word literally means 'halfway up the mountain'! It's a perfect metaphor - mediocre things aren't at the bottom in failure, but they haven't reached the summit of excellence either. They're stuck in the middle altitude of achievement.
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