Meaning of common in English

common

adjective

/ˈkɒm.ən/ us

/ˈkɑː.mən/

common adjective (USUAL)

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the same in a lot of places or for a lot of people:

It's quite common to see couples who dress alike.

"Smith" is a very common name in Britain.

Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples

happening or seen often

commonWorking from home has become increasingly common.
rifeViolence was rife throughout the city.
commonplaceEarthquakes are a commonplace occurrence in California.
be two/ten a pennyUK Good designers are two a penny, but great designers are worth their weight in gold.
be a dime a dozenUS Those cheap little metal cars are a dime a dozen. You can get them anywhere.

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common courtesy/decency

the basic level of politeness that you expect from someone:

His communications were characterized by a lack of common courtesy.

common knowledge

a fact that everyone knows:

[ + that ] It's common knowledge that they live together.

More examplesFewer examples

Oil spills are common, as is the dumping of toxic industrial wastes.
It's common practice in the States to tip the hairdresser.
In the past, bear-baiting was a common form of entertainment in Britain.
This disease is four times more common in boys than in girls.
One common cause of homelessness is separation or divorce.

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Plain and ordinary

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common adjective (SHARED)

belonging to or shared by two or more people, or things:

a common goal/interest

English has some features common to many languages.

See also

common ground

for the common good

If something is done for the common good, it is done to help everyone:

We have to use our freedoms for the common good rather than our own selfish interests.

make common cause with someone formal

to act together with someone in order to achieve something:

Environmental protesters have made common cause with local people to stop the motorway being built.

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The two countries combined against their common enemy.
Her latest film, by common consent, is her best yet.
English is de facto the common language of much of the world today.
Excretion is one of several activities common to both plants and animals.
The two countries have united against their common foe.

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Sharing

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common adjective (LOW CLASS)

disapproving

typical of a low social class:

My mum thinks dyed blonde hair is a bit common.

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Class & class-consciousness in general

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Idioms

the common man

the common touch

common

noun

/ˈkɒm.ən/ us

/ˈkɑː.mən/

common noun (LAND)

[ C ]

(US also commons)

an area of grass that everyone is allowed to use, usually in or near a village

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Geography: deserts, prairies & wildernesses

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common noun (SHARED)

have something in common

to share interests, experiences, or other characteristics with someone or something:

We don't really have much in common.

in common with someone/something

in the same way as someone or something:

In common with many mothers, she feels torn between her family and her work.

(Definition of common from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

common | American Dictionary

common

adjective

/ˈkɑm·ən/

common adjective (USUAL)

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found frequently in many places or among many people:

Money worries are a common problem for people raising children.

common adjective (SHARED)

[ not gradable ]

belonging to or shared by two or more people or things:

Guilt and forgiveness are themes common to all of her works.

commonly

adverb us

/ˈkɑm·ən·li/

"The" is the most commonly used word in English.

Idioms

common denominator
common ground
common knowledge
have something in common

common

noun [ C ]

/ˈkɑm·ən/

common noun [C] (LAND)

an area of grassy land that is open for everyone to use, usually near the center of a town or city:

The Boston Common is the oldest park in the US.

(Definition of common from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of common

common

In other languages, where affixation is commoner, transparency may take priority over simplicity.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Scoliosis is commoner and may require orthopaedic follow-up.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The commonest vertebrate remains are of teeth or other resistant pieces.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The commons, too, objected to the king's manipulation of the wool trade.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The commonest label attached to such instruments is" regulations" but there is nothing magical in names.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

In this less complicated, archaic warrior state, it surrounds him every day and it is bestowed by nobles and commons alike.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Global commons, by definition, are things that cannot be restricted to just one country - climate, for example.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Thus, institutional build-up seems to be a very important consideration in motivating people to participate in commons.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Thus, longer exposure of the villages to the institutional build-up has a positive effect on people's participation in the commons.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Similar risk-sharing rules are needed to manage the global commons.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

However, in many places and in many periods, communitarian management practices have protected people from the 'tragedy of the commons'.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The new enclosures substitute for the knowledge commons.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The generally hostile attitude toward lawyers in the house of commons was a significant obstacle.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The house of commons, by law, would have to confirm sanctions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Accordingly, a competent land management agency is essential for regulating land use (for agriculture, industry, housing and commons) and land transactions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

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These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

What is the pronunciation of common?