mediocre
UK[ˌmiːdiˈəʊkə(r)]US[ˌmiːdiˈoʊkər]
adj
of only moderate quality; not very good.
Morpheme Breakdown
medi
ocre
medi
middle
ocre
mountain, peak
Etymology
the word 'mediocre' originates from the latin 'mediocris', meaning 'of moderate height or degree, middling'. this term is a compound of 'medius' (middle) and 'ocris' (a rugged, stony mountain). the literal sense was 'halfway up the mountain', neither at the base nor at the summit, thus occupying a middle position. this spatial metaphor evolved to describe anything of an intermediate or moderate quality, eventually acquiring its modern, often pejorative, connotation of being merely average or not very good.
Analysis
Structure: medi (middle) + ocre (mountain, peak)
medi (latin: 'medius', meaning 'middle'); ocre (latin: 'ocris', meaning 'rugged mountain' or 'stony peak').
Examples
the restaurant received mediocre reviews for its bland food and slow service.
he was a talented student who was content with producing mediocre work.
despite high expectations, the film's box office performance was mediocre.