Definition of 'common'
Word forms: comparative commoner
, superlative commonest
, plural commons
3. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
4. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
5. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
6. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
7. adjective
8. countable noun
9. proper noun [with singular or plural verb]
The Commons is the same as the House of Commons. The members of the House of Commons can also be referred to as the Commons.
10. See also lowest common denominator
11.
See in common
12.
See in common
14. the common good
15. common ground
16. the common touch
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
You may also like
Word Frequency
common in British English
adjective
9. mathematics
b.
10. prosody
11. grammar
(in certain languages, for example Latin) denoting or belonging to a gender of nouns, esp one that includes both masculine and feminine referents
in Latin, sacerdos is common
12. anatomy
a.
having branches
the common carotid artery
noun
15. law
16. Christianity
b.
the ordinary of the Mass
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
commonness (ˈcommonness) noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French commun, from Latin commūnis general, universal
Word Frequency
common in American English
adjective
1.
belonging equally to, or shared by, two or more or by all
the common interests of a group
2.
belonging or relating to the community at large; public
common carriers
4.
widely but unfavorably known
a common criminal
5.
7.
having no rank
a common soldier
10. Anatomy
formed of or dividing into branches
11. Grammar
a.
see also proper
b.
designating gender that can be either masculine or feminine
the word child is of common gender
12. Ancient Mathematics
belonging equally to two or more quantities
a common denominator
noun
13. US; [sometimes pl.]
land owned or used by all the inhabitants of a place; tract of open public land,
esp. as a park in a city or town
14. [often C-]; Ecclesiastical
a.
the office or service suitable for any of a class of festivals
b.
the ordinary of the Mass
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈmutual
Idioms:
SYNONYMY NOTE: common refers to that which is met with most frequently or is shared by all or most individuals
in a group, body, etc., and may imply prevalence, usualness, or, in a depreciatory
sense, inferiority [a common belief, a common hussy]; general implies connection with all or nearly all of a kind, class, or group and stresses
extensiveness [general unrest among the people]; ordinary implies accordance with the regular or customary pattern, stressing commonplaceness
and lack of special distinction [an ordinary workday]; familiar applies to that which is widely known and readily recognized [a familiar feeling]; popular and, in this connection, vulgar imply widespread currency, acceptance, or favor among the general public or the common
people [apopular song, Vulgar Latin] OPPOSITES: unusual, exceptional
commonsWebster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
commonness (ˈcommonness)
noun
Word Frequency
common in American English
(ˈkɑmən) (adjective -er, -est)
adjective
1.
common property
common interests
2.
a common language or history
a common water-supply system
4.
widespread; general; ordinary
common knowledge
8.
coarse; vulgar
common manners
9.
lacking rank, station, distinction, etc.; unexceptional; ordinary
a common soldier
common people
the common man
a common thief
11. Anatomy
forming or formed by two or more parts or branches
the common carotid arteries
12. Prosody (of a syllable)
able to be considered as either long or short
13. Grammar
a.
not belonging to an inflectional paradigm; fulfilling different functions that in some languages require different inflected forms
English nouns are in the common case whether used as subject or object
b.
constituting one of two genders of a language, esp. a gender comprising nouns that were formerly masculine or feminine
Swedish nouns are either common or neuter
c.
French "élève" has common gender
English lacks a common gender pronoun in the third person singular
d. (of a noun)
belonging to the common gender
noun
SYNONYMS 4. universal, prevalent, popular. See general. 5. customary, everyday. 7, 8, 9. common, vulgar, ordinary refer, often with derogatory connotations of cheapness or inferiority, to what is
usual or most often experienced. common applies to what is accustomed, usually experienced, or inferior, to the opposite
of what is exclusive or aristocratic: The park is used by the common people. vulgar properly means belonging to the people, or characteristic of common people; it connotes
low taste, coarseness, or ill breeding: the vulgar view of things; vulgar in manners and speech. ordinary refers to what is to be expected in the usual order of things; it means average or
below average: That is a high price for something of such ordinary quality. ANTONYMS 1. individual. 5. unusual.16. (often commons) chiefly New England
17. Law
18. See commons
19. See commons
20. (sometimes cap) Ecclesiast
a.
an office or form of service used on a festival of a particular kind
21. obsolete
a.
the community or public
b.
the common people
22. See in common
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
commonness noun
Word origin
[1250–1300; ME comun ‹ AF, OF ‹ L commūnis common, presumably orig. “sharing common duties,” akin to mūnia duties of an office, mūnus task, duty, gift ‹ a base *moin-, c. mean2; cf. com-, immune]Examples of 'common' in a sentence
common
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content that does not reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent company HarperCollins.
We welcome feedback: report an example sentence to the Collins team. Read more…
Trends of
common
View usage for:
Source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
In other languages
common
British English: common
/ˈkɒmən/ ADJECTIVE
If something is common, it is found in large numbers or it happens often.
It's a common mistake.
- American English: common /ˈkɒmən/
- Arabic: شَائِع
- Brazilian Portuguese: comum
- Chinese: 常见的
- Croatian: čest
- Czech: běžný
- Danish: fælles
- Dutch: veelvoorkomend
- European Spanish: común
- Finnish: yleinen
- French: commun
- German: weitverbreitet
- Greek: συνήθης
- Italian: comune
- Japanese: 普通の
- Korean: 흔한
- Norwegian: vanlig
- Polish: wspólny
- European Portuguese: comum
- Romanian: frecvent
- Russian: общий
- Latin American Spanish: común
- Swedish: vanlig
- Thai: ธรรมดา
- Turkish: yaygın
- Ukrainian: поширений
- Vietnamese: phổ biến
Browse alphabetically
common
Related terms of
common
Source
Definition of common from the Collins English Dictionary
Read about the team of authors behind Collins Dictionaries.
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
MAMMALS
Drag the correct answer into the box.
otter
gazelle
wolf
gorilla
MAMMALS
Drag the correct answer into the box.
antelope
mole
wolf
badger
MAMMALS
Drag the correct answer into the box.
badger
mole
anteater
chimpanzee
Your score:
Word of the day
gardening
the planning and cultivation of a garden
Latest Word Submissions
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
SPORTS
Drag the correct answer into the box.
high jump
golf
ice skating
netball
SPORTS
Drag the correct answer into the box.
gymnastics
luge
shotput
fencing
SPORTS
Drag the correct answer into the box.
badminton
ice skating
surfing
football
SPORTS
Drag the correct answer into the box.
long jump
jogging
tennis
luge
Your score:
Sting-Nettle Day
We're taking a closer look at the intriguing expressions and customs that have grown up around one of the most versatile plants out there - the stinging nettle.
Read more
Learning English: Saying goodbye
Learn informal ways to say goodbye in British English - from 'Goodbye' to 'See ya!' with examples and tips for everyday use.
Read more
Scrabble: Spoilt for Choice
Strategize your Scrabble moves based on anagrams on the board, score, vowel placement, and hooks to get the best score you can.
Read more
‘100 Words for Rain’ by Alex Johnson
Discover the allure of weather lore and literary references in "100 Words for Rain" and delve into rain phenomena and cultural anecdotes.
Read more
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more