common meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

common

adj

UK /ˈkɒm.ən/ · US /ˈkɑ.mən/

Etymology

From Middle English comun, from Anglo-Norman comun, from Old French comun (rare in the Gallo-Romance languages, but reinforced as a Carolingian calque of Proto-West Germanic *gamainī (“common”) in Old French), from Latin commūnis (“common, public, general”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱom-moy-ni-s (“held in common”), from Proto-Indo-European *mey- (“to exchange, change”). Displaced native Middle English imene, ȝemǣne (“common, general, universal”) (from Old English ġemǣne (“common, universal”)), Middle English mene, mǣne (“mean, common”) (also from Old English ġemǣne (“common, universal”)), Middle English samen, somen (“in common, together”) (from Old English samen (“together”)). Doublet of gmina and mean.

12 senses

1Mutual; shared by more than one.
2Existing among virtually all people; universal.
3Occurring or happening regularly or frequently; usual.
4Found in large numbers or in a large quantity; usual.
5Simple, ordinary or vulgar.
6As part of the vernacular name of a species, usually…
7Vernacular, referring to the name of a kind of plant or animal.
8Arising from use or tradition, as opposed to being…
9Of, pertaining or belonging to the common gender.
10Of or pertaining to common nouns as opposed to proper nouns.
11Profane; polluted.
12Given to lewd habits; prostitute.

Mutual; shared by more than one.

The two competitors have the common aim of winning the championship.
Winning the championship is an aim common to the two competitors.

2 more examples

Nothing was too small to receive attention, if a supervising eye could suggest improvements likely to conduce to the common welfare. Mr. Gordon Burnage, for instance, personally visited dust-bins and back premises, accompanied by a sort of village bailiff, going his round like a commanding officer doing billets.1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XIX, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
They shared a common dread that he would begin moaning.1961 November 10, Joseph Heller, “The Soldier in White”, in Catch-22 […], New York, N.Y.: Simon and Schuster, →OCLC, page 169:

Of a quality Existing among virtually all people; universal.

common knowledge, common decency, common sense
No man of common humanity, no man who had any value for his character, could be capable of it.1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter XVII, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume I, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 197:

Occurring or happening regularly or frequently; usual.

It is common to find sharks off this coast.
Thus it is sayde in the cōmon vsage.1530?, Robert Wyer, This boke is named the beaulte of women : translated out of Frenche in to Englysshe., page 8:

2 more examples

That loss is common would not make ⁠My own less bitter, rather more: ⁠Too common! Never morning wore To evening, but some heart did break.1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto VI”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:
Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola. A recent study explored the ecological variables that may contribute to bats’ propensity to harbor such zoonotic diseases by comparing them with another order of common reservoir hosts: rodents.2013 May-June, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 193:

Found in large numbers or in a large quantity; usual.

"Commoner" used to be commoner, but "more common" is now more common.
Sharks are common in these waters.

4 more examples

It differs from the common blackbird in the size of its beak.
Although there are dozens of different types of gems, among the best known and most important are […] . (Common gem materials not addressed in this article include amber, amethyst, chalcedony, garnet, lazurite, malachite, opals, peridot, rhodonite, spinel, tourmaline, turquoise and zircon.)2012 March 23, Lee A. Groat, “Gemstones”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 14 Jun 2012, page 128:
Machine learning was the most common method of AI listed in patent requests.2019 February 3, “UN Study: China, US, Japan Lead World AI Development”, in Voice of America, archived from the original on 07 Feb 2019:
In our daily-diary studies, one source of awe was by far the most common: other people. Regular acts of courage—bystanders defusing fights, subordinates standing up to abusive power holders—inspired awe.2023 January 3, Dacher Keltner, “The Quiet Profundity of Everyday Awe”, in Jeffrey Goldberg, editor, The Atlantic, Washington, D.C.: The Atlantic Monthly Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 14 Mar 2023:

Simple, ordinary or vulgar.

the common folk
This fact was infamous / And ill beseeming any common man, / Much more a knight, a captain and a leader.1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:

4 more examples

above the vulgar flight of common souls1768, Arthur Murphy, Zenobia:
Mr. Crackit (for he it was) had no very great quantity of hair, either upon his head or face, but what he had was of a reddish dye, and tortured into long corkscrew curls, through which he occasionally thrust some very dirty fingers ornamented with large common rings.1838, Boz [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], “The Burglary”, in Oliver Twist; […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 35:
Merchants, common sailors, captains of vessels, skippers, […] naval officers of all countries, and the Governments of several states on the two continents, were deeply interested in the matter.1873, Jules Verne, chapter I, in [anonymous], transl., Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Seas; […], James R. Osgood edition, Boston, Mass.: Geo[rge] M[urray] Smith & Co., →OCLC, part I, page 3:
If it be asked wherein the utility of some modern extensions of mathematics lies, it must be acknowledged that it is at present difficult to see how they are ever to become applicable to questions of common life or physical science.1893, Florian Cajori, A History of Mathematics:

Biology, Natural sciences, Taxonomy As part of the vernacular name of a species, usually denoting that it is abundant or widely known.

the common daisy (Bellis perennis)

Biology, Natural sciences, Taxonomy Vernacular, referring to the name of a kind of plant or animal.

common name vs. scientific name.

Law Arising from use or tradition, as opposed to being created by a legislative body.

common law
As to eleemoſynary corporations, by the dotation the founder and his heirs are of common right the legal viſitors, to ſee that that property is rightly employed, which would otherwiſe have deſcended to the viſitor himſelf: […]1765, William Blackstone, “Of Corporations”, in Commentaries on the Laws of England, book I (Of the Rights of Persons), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 469:

Grammar, Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences Of, pertaining or belonging to the common gender.

Grammar, Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences Of or pertaining to common nouns as opposed to proper nouns.

Obsolete Profane; polluted.

What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 10:15:

Obsolete Given to lewd habits; prostitute.

a Dame who her self was as Common as the King's High Way1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC:

Synonyms: 25 terms
average, basic, bog-standard, common, common as bums, common as dirt, common as muck, common as pig tracks, dime a dozen, everyday, frequent, general, habitual, nonrare, par for the course, pedestrian, plain, quotidian, regular, routinary, routine, ten a penny, two a penny, usual, workaday
Antonyms: abnormal, atypical, exceptional, exotic, uncommon, endangered, extraordinary, rare, strange, unconventional, unique, unusual
Related terms: feminine, female, masculine, male, neuter, frequency, mediocre, normal
Hypernyms: repeated
Hyponyms: supercommon, boring, hackneyed, seasonal

common

noun

Etymology

Mutual good, shared by more than one.

A tract of land in common ownership; common land.

The hovel stood in the centre of what had once been a vegetable garden, but was now a patch of rank weeds. Surrounding this, almost like a zareba, was an irregular ring of gorse and brambles, an unclaimed vestige of the original common.1944, Miles Burton, chapter 5, in The Three Corpse Trick:
Throughout the land there is a great variation in the shape and size of village greens, from the many of pocket-handkerchief size to a roadside common of 20 acres or more - as at Lindfield in West Sussex.1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, pages 264-265:

The people; the community.

the weal o' the commonc. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:

Law The right of taking a profit in the land of another, in common either with the owner or with other persons; so called from the community of interest which arises between the claimant of the right and the owner of the soil, or between the claimants and other commoners entitled to the same right.

common

verb

Etymology

Obsolete To communicate (something).

Then entred Satan into Judas, whose syr name was iscariot (which was of the nombre off the twelve) and he went his waye, and commened with the hye prestes and officers, how he wolde betraye hym vnto them.1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Luke:

Obsolete To converse, talk.

So long as Guyon with her commoned, / Vnto the ground she cast her modest eye […]1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
1568-1569, Richard Grafton, Chronicle Capitaine generall of Flaunders, which amiably enterteyned the sayd Duke, and after they had secretly commoned of.

Obsolete To have sex.

Obsolete To participate.

Obsolete To have a joint right with others in common ground.

Obsolete To board together; to eat at a table in common.

Derived terms: 548 terms
ASEAN Common Time, Asian common toad, by common consent, commonable, common adder, common ageratum, common agouti, common alder), commonality, common allamanda, commonalty, common amaranth, common American shad, common amsinckia, common ancestor, common-and-garden, common antilog, common antilogarithm, common apricot, common area, common arrowhead, common arum lily, common as bums, common as dirt, common ash, common as muck, common asparagus beetle, common as pig tracks, common babbler, common bamboo, common barbel, common barberry, common barley, common barn owl, common basilisk, common basil, common bean, common bearberry, common bearded dragon, common bear's breech, common bedbug, common beech, common beet, common beisa oryx, common bent, common bent-wing bat, common big-eared bat, common bile duct, common birch, common bird cherry, common bistort, common bittern, common blackberry, common blackbird, common blackfish, common black hawk, common bladderwort, common blanket octopus, common bleak, common blewit, common blossom bat, common bluebell, common blue damsel, common blue, common bluetail, common blue-tongued skink, common boa, common bog rosemary, common boneset, common booklouse, common bottlenose dolphin, common box, common box turtle, common brant goose, common bream, common bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera, common broom, common brown, common brown cup, common brown earwig), common brown leafhopper, common brown lemur, common brown water snake, common brushtail possum, common bryony, common buckeye, common buckthorn, common buckwheat, common bulbul, common bullfinch, common bully, common bunt, common burdock, common burnet, common bush tanager, common butterbur, common buttercup, common butterfly lizard, common butterweed, common butterwort, common buttonbush, common buttonquail, common buzzard, common cachalot, common cactus finch, common calamint, common camas, common camellia, common canary, common caper, common capeweed, common caracara, common carder bee, common cardinal, common carline thistle, common carotid artery, common carp, common carrier, common carrot, common cattail, common cattle grub, common cause, common caustic, common centaury, common chaffinch, common chameleon, common chickweed, common chicory, common chiffchaff, common chimpanzee, common chinchilla, common chipmunk, common chokecherry, common chord, common cicadabird, common cinquefoil, Common-Civil-Calendar-and-Time Calendar, common clam worm, common clay, common clothes moth, common clownfish, common cobra, common cockchafer, common cockle, common cockroach, common cold, common collared lizard, common columbine, common comfrey, common coral tree, common corncockle, common corn salad, common cotton grass, common coupling, common courtesy, common cowbird, common crab, common crane, common crape myrtle, common crossbill, common crossing, common cuckoo, common curlew, common currency, common cuscus, common cuttlefish, common dab, common dace, common daisy, common dandelion, common darter, common death adder, common degu, common denominator, common dentex, common devil's claw, common difference, common diving petrel Pelecanoides urinatrix), common dogbane, common dog violet, common dogwood, common dolphin, common dormouse, common Douglas fir, common duckweed, common duiker, common dwarf mongoose, common eagle ray, common earwig, common eel, common egg eater, common egret, common eider, common eland, common elder dove, common elder, common element, common elements, common elm, commoner, common European adder, common European ash, common European dogwood, common European earwig, common European jay, common evening primrose, common factor, common fennel, common fig, common firecrest, common flameback, common flat lizard, common flat pea, common flat-tail gecko, common flax, common flicker, commonfolk, common footman, common four o'clock, common foxglove, common fox, common fraction, common frog, common fruit fly, common fumitory, common furniture beetle, common galaxias, common gallinule, common gannet, common garden cress, common garden rhubarb, common garden skink, common garnet, common garter snake, common gender, common genet, common gibbon, common ginger, common glider, common glowworm, common glow-worm, common gnat, common goby, common goldeneye, common goldfish, common good, common gorse, common grackle, common grape hyacinth, common grape vine, common grasshopper warbler, common grave, common green bottle fly, common green frog, common green lacewing, common green magpie, common greenshank, common ground dove, common groundsel, common gudgeon, common guitarfish, common gull, common gum cistus, common gundi, common hackberry, common hamster, common hatchetfish, common hawk-cuckoo, common hawker, common hawthorn, common hazel, common heath, common heather, common hedgehog, common heliotrope, common hepatica, common highbush blueberry, common hill myna, common hippopotamus, commonhold, common holly, common honeysuckle, commonhood, common hop bush, common hop, common hops, common horehound, common hoarhound, common hornbeam, common horse chestnut, common horsetail, common hour, common house, common housefly, common house gecko, common house martin, common house mouse, common house spider, common hyacinth, common iguana, common iliac artery, common iliac vein, common indigo plant, common informer, common ink cap, common ion effect, common-ion effect, common iora, commonise, commonish, common ivy, commonize, common jackal, common jasmine, common jellyfish, common jery, common juniper, common kestrel, common kingfisher, common kingsnake, common kisimanse, common knapweed, common knotgrass, common knowledge, common krait, common laburnum, common lady's mantle, common langur, common larkspur, common lavender, common law, common-law, common-law marriage, common lawyer, common leopard gecko, common lettuce, common lilac, common lime, common limpet, common ling, common linnet, common lizard (Zootoca vivipara, common lobster, common logarithm, common logperch, common loon, common louse, commonly, common lynx, common mackerel, common macrotona, common madder, common madia, common magpie, common maidenhair, common mallow, common man, common marigold, common marmoset, common matrimony vine, common meadow grass, common meter, common milkwort, common millet, common minnow, common mola, common moorhen, common mora, common mullein, common multiple, common murre (Uria aalge, common mussel, common myrrh, common nail, common name, commonness, common nightingale, common noctule, common noun, common octopus, common of shack, common or garden, common-or-garden, common or garden variety, common palm civet, common people, common pheasant, common pillbug, commonplace, common place, common-place, common plum, common pochard, common polypody, common poppy, common possum, common practice, common practice period, common prawn, common purple-glossed snake, common purpose, common purse, common purslane, common quail, common rabbit, common radish, common ragweed, common ragwort, common rat, common ratio, common raven, common recovery, common redpoll, common redshank, common redstart, common reed, common reed bunting, common rhea, common rhododendron, common riding, common ringed plover, common ringlet, common roach, common rock thrush, common room, common rose, common rosefinch, common rue, common run, common rush, commons, common salsify, common salt, common sandpiper, common scoter, common seahorse, common sea krait, common seal, common sedge, common sense, common-sense, common-sensical, common sewer, common shelduck, commonship, common shrew, common shrubby everlasting, common-site picketing, common-situs picketing, common snapdragon, common snapping turtle, common snipe, common sorrel, common sow thistle, common spikeweed, common spotted orchid, common squid, common squirrel monkey, common starling, common St John's wort, common St. John's wort, common stock, common substantive noun, common succory, common swift, common tarweed, common teal, common term, common tern, common thread, common three-ring, common threesquare, common thresher, common time, common toad, common toadflax, common torpedo, common touch, common vole, common walnut, common warthog, common weal, commonweal, commonwealth, common wheat, common whitebeam, common whitefish, common whitethroat, common wild oat, common wire, common woodpigeon, common wood pigeon, common woodrush, common woolly monkey, common xenica, common yabby, common yarrow, common year, common yellow oxalis, common yellow woodsorrel, common yeoman, common zorro, compound common time, discommon, greatest common divisor, greatest common factor, highest common factor, House of Commons, in common, last common ancestor, last universal common ancestor, least common denominator, least common multiple, lowest common denominator, lowest common multiple, make common cause, noncommon, northern common cuscus, out of the common, smallest common multiple, southern common cuscus, supercommon, tenancy in common, tenant in common, Abinger Common, Amersham Common, Anlaby Common, Balsall Common, Bell Common, Christmas Common, Clapham Common, Cliffe Common, Colden Common, Ealing Common, Galley Common, Greenham Common, Hoyland Common, Laughton Common, Oldland Common, Old Oak Common, Rough Common, Sayers Common, Silkstone Common, Sonning Common, Stanley Common, St Briavels Common, Streatham Common, Sutton Common

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

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