What does Common mean?
Definitions for Common
ˈkɒm əncom·mon
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word Common.
Princeton's WordNet
park, commons, common, greenadjective
a piece of open land for recreational use in an urban area
"they went for a walk in the park"
commonadjective
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
"for the common good"; "common lands are set aside for use by all members of a community"
commonadjective
having no special distinction or quality; widely known or commonly encountered; average or ordinary or usual
"the common man"; "a common sailor"; "the common cold"; "a common nuisance"; "followed common procedure"; "it is common knowledge that she lives alone"; "the common housefly"; "a common brand of soap"
common, mutualadjective
common to or shared by two or more parties
"a common friend"; "the mutual interests of management and labor"
common, usualadjective
commonly encountered
"a common (or familiar) complaint"; "the usual greeting"
common, vernacular, vulgaradjective
being or characteristic of or appropriate to everyday language
"common parlance"; "a vernacular term"; "vernacular speakers"; "the vulgar tongue of the masses"; "the technical and vulgar names for an animal species"
common, plebeian, vulgar, unwashedadjective
of or associated with the great masses of people
"the common people in those days suffered greatly"; "behavior that branded him as common"; "his square plebeian nose"; "a vulgar and objectionable person"; "the unwashed masses"
coarse, commonadjective
of low or inferior quality or value
"of what coarse metal ye are molded"- Shakespeare; "produced...the common cloths used by the poorer population"
coarse, common, rough-cut, uncouth, vulgaradjective
lacking refinement or cultivation or taste
"he had coarse manners but a first-rate mind"; "behavior that branded him as common"; "an untutored and uncouth human being"; "an uncouth soldier--a real tough guy"; "appealing to the vulgar taste for violence"; "the vulgar display of the newly rich"
commonadjective
to be expected; standard
"common decency"
Wiktionary
commonnoun
Mutual good, shared by more than one.
commonnoun
A tract of land in common ownership; common land.
commonverb
To communicate (something).
commonverb
To converse, talk.
commonverb
To have sex.
commonadjective
Mutual; shared by more than one.
commonadjective
Occurring or happening regularly or frequently; usual.
It is common to find sharks off this coast.
commonadjective
Found in large numbers or in a large quantity.
Sharks are common in these waters.
commonadjective
Simple, ordinary or vulgar.
commonadjective
In some languages, particularly Germanic languages, of the gender originating from the coalescence of the masculine and feminine categories of nouns.
commonadjective
Of or pertaining to uncapitalized nouns in English, i.e., common nouns vs. proper nouns
commonadjective
vernacular, referring to the name of a kind of plant or animal, i.e., common name vs. scientific name
Etymology: From comun, from comun, from comun (rare in Gallo-Romance. Reinforced as a Carolingian calque of gemeini, gamaini "common" in) from communis, from ko-moin-i. Displaced native imene (from gemæne), mene (also from gemæne), samen (from samen).
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
Commonadverb
Commonly; ordinarily.
Etymology: from the adjective.
I am more than common tall. William Shakespeare, As you like it.
COMMONnoun
Etymology: communis, Latin.
Though life and sense be common to man and brutes, and their operations in many things alike; yet by this form he lives the life of a man, and not of a brute, and hath the sense of a man, and not of a brute. Matthew Hale, Origin of Mankind.
He who hath received damage, has, besides the right of punishment common to him with other men, a particular right to seek reparation. John Locke.
Where no kindred are to be found, we see the possession of a private man revert to the community, and so become again perfectly common, no body having a right to inherit them; nor can any one have a property in them, otherwise than in other things common by nature. John Locke.
Or as the man whom princes do advance,
Upon their gracious mercy-seat to sit,
Doth common things, of course and circumstance,
To the reports of common men commit. Davies.He was advised by a parliament-man not to be strict in reading all the common prayer, but make some variation. Izaak Walton.
I need not mention the old common shore of Rome, which ran from all parts of the town, with the current and violence of an ordinary river. Joseph Addison, on Italy.
Look, as I blow this feather from my face,
And as the air blows it to me again,
Such is the lightness of you common men. William Shakespeare, Henry VI.Flying bullets now,
To execute his rage, appear too slow;
They miss, or sweep but common souls away,
For such a loss Opdam his life must pay. Edmund Waller.There is an evil which I have seen common among men. Eccles. vi. 1.
The Papists were the most common place, and the butt against whom all the arrows were directed. Edward Hyde.
Neither is it strange that there should be mysteries in divinity, as well as in the commonest operations in nature. Jonathan Swift.
’Tis a strange thing, the impudence of some women! was the word of a dame, who herself was common. Roger L'Estrange.
Hipparchus was going to marry a common woman, but consulted Philander upon the occasion. Spectator, №. 475.
Commonnoun
An open ground equally used by many persons.
Etymology: from the adjective.
Then take we down his load, and turn him off,
Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears,
And graze in commons. William Shakespeare, Julius Cæsar.Is not the separate property of a thing the great cause of its endearment? Does any one respect a common as much as he does his garden? South.
To Commonverb
To have a joint right with others in some common ground.
Etymology: from the noun.
ChatGPT
common
A general definition of "common" is something that is prevalent, widely occurring, or shared by many or by the majority of people. It can refer to attributes, characteristics, or traits that are ordinary, usual, or typical. Additionally, "common" can describe something that is familiar, easily accessible, or found in abundance.
Webster Dictionary
Common
belonging or relating equally, or similarly, to more than one; as, you and I have a common interest in the property
Common
belonging to or shared by, affecting or serving, all the members of a class, considered together; general; public; as, properties common to all plants; the common schools; the Book of Common Prayer
Common
often met with; usual; frequent; customary
Common
not distinguished or exceptional; inconspicuous; ordinary; plebeian; -- often in a depreciatory sense
Common
profane; polluted
Common
given to habits of lewdness; prostitute
Commonnoun
the people; the community
Commonnoun
an inclosed or uninclosed tract of ground for pleasure, for pasturage, etc., the use of which belongs to the public; or to a number of persons
Commonnoun
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
Commonverb
to converse together; to discourse; to confer
Commonverb
to participate
Commonverb
to have a joint right with others in common ground
Commonverb
to board together; to eat at a table in common
Wikidata
Common
Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr., better known by his stage name Common, is an American hip-hop recording artist and actor from Chicago, Illinois. Common debuted in 1992 with the album Can I Borrow a Dollar? and maintained a significant underground following into the late 1990s, after which he gained notable mainstream success through his work with the Soulquarians. His first major-label album, Like Water for Chocolate, received widespread critical acclaim and tremendous commercial success. His first Grammy award was in 2003 for Best R&B Song for "Love of My Life" with Erykah Badu. Its popularity was matched by May 2005's Be, which was nominated in the 2006 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album. Common was awarded his second Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, for "Southside", from his July 2007 album Finding Forever. His best-of album, Thisisme Then: The Best of Common, was released on November 27, 2007. Common has also initiated a burgeoning acting career, starring significant roles in such films as Smokin' Aces, Street Kings, American Gangster, Wanted, Terminator Salvation, Date Night, Just Wright, Happy Feet Two, and New Year's Eve. He also narrated the award-winning documentary Bouncing Cats, about one man's efforts to improve the lives of children in Uganda through hip-hop/b-boy culture. He currently stars as Elam Ferguson on the AMC western television series Hell on Wheels.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Common
kom′un, adj. belonging equally to more than one: public: general: usual: frequent: ordinary: easy to be had: of little value: vulgar: of low degree.—n. (Shak.) the commonalty: a tract of open land, used in common by the inhabitants of a town, parish, &c.—v.i. (Shak.) to share.—adj. Common′able, held in common.—ns. Comm′onage, right of pasturing on a common: the right of using anything in common: a common; Comm′onalty, the general body of the people without any distinction of rank or authority; Comm′oner, one of the common people, as opposed to the nobles: a member of the House of Commons: at Oxford, a student who pays for his commons.—adv. Comm′only.—ns. Comm′onness; Comm′onplace, a common topic or subject: a platitude: a memorandum: a note.—adj. common: hackneyed.—v.i. to make notes: to put in a commonplace-book.—n. Comm′onplace-book, a note or memorandum book.—n.pl. Comm′ons, the common people: their representatives—i.e. the lower House of Parliament or House of Commons: common land: food at a common table: at Oxford, rations served at a fixed rate from the college buttery: food in general, rations.—n. Comm′on-sense, average understanding: good sense or practical sagacity: the opinion of a community: the universally admitted impressions of mankind.—Common Bench, Common Pleas, one of the divisions of the High Court of Justice; Common forms, the ordinary clauses which are of frequent occurrence in identical terms in writs and deeds; Common law, in England, the ancient customary law of the land; Common Prayer (Book of), the liturgy of the Church of England; Common-riding, the Scotch equivalent of Beating the Bounds (see Beat); Common room, in schools, colleges, &c., a room to which the members have common access.—In common, together: equally with others.—Make common cause with, to cast in one's lot with: to have the same interests and aims with.—Philosophy of common-sense, that school of philosophy which takes the universally admitted impressions of mankind as corresponding to the facts of things without any further scrutiny.—Short commons, scant fare, insufficient supply of rations.—The common, that which is common or usual; The common good, the interest of the community at large: the corporate property of a burgh in Scotland; The common people, the people in general. [Fr. commun—L. communis, prob. from com, together, and munis, serving, obliging.]
Editors Contribution
common
To have an equal aspiration, goal, task, idea or responsibility.
They have a common bond together, their love, unity, fun, family values, goals and aspirations that has created their goal of marriage for eternity.
Submitted by MaryC on March 15, 2020
Suggested Resources
common
Song lyrics by common -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by common on the Lyrics.com website.
Entomology
Common
of frequent occurrence: occurring on two adjacent parts: a band or fascia is common when it crosses both primaries and secondaries.
Surnames Frequency by Census Records
COMMON
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Common is ranked #33856 in terms of the most common surnames in America.
The Common surname appeared 672 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 would have the surname Common.
63.5% or 427 total occurrences were White.
32.7% or 220 total occurrences were Black.
1.9% or 13 total occurrences were of two or more races.
1.3% or 9 total occurrences were of Hispanic origin.
British National Corpus
Spoken Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'Common' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #495
Written Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'Common' in Written Corpus Frequency: #1101
Adjectives Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'Common' in Adjectives Frequency: #58
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
- [["1505","2"],["1507","3"],["1515","131"],["1520","22"],["1524","8"],["1563","36"],["1564","3"],["1568","23"],["1572","110"],["1574","12"],["1575","13"],["1579","121"],["1581","271"],["1582","43"],["1584","23"],["1587","53"],["1588","13"],["1589","6"],["1590","184"],["1592","34"],["1593","18"],["1595","1"],["1598","56"],["1600","55"],["1603","17"],["1605","1"],["1606","48"],["1607","107"],["1611","3"],["1612","15"],["1614","2"],["1618","1"],["1619","16"],["1620","42"],["1621","7"],["1623","38"],["1624","28"],["1625","3"],["1626","3"],["1628","2"],["1629","123"],["1630","29"],["1631","103"],["1632","7"],["1634","51"],["1635","94"],["1636","12"],["1637","94"],["1638","43"],["1640","7"],["1641","35"],["1642","62"],["1643","47"],["1644","363"],["1645","70"],["1646","10"],["1647","65"],["1648","113"],["1649","82"],["1650","20"],["1651","168"],["1652","54"],["1653","74"],["1654","16"],["1655","131"],["1656","229"],["1657","83"],["1658","377"],["1659","222"],["1660","46"],["1661","46"],["1662","48"],["1663","50"],["1664","81"],["1665","120"],["1666","15"],["1667","254"],["1668","251"],["1669","118"],["1670","182"],["1671","23"],["1672","101"],["1673","347"],["1674","56"],["1675","348"],["1676","510"],["1677","474"],["1678","530"],["1679","293"],["1680","309"],["1681","517"],["1682","733"],["1683","868"],["1684","344"],["1685","564"],["1686","374"],["1687","382"],["1688","691"],["1689","223"],["1690","246"],["1691","48"],["1692","368"],["1693","218"],["1694","577"],["1695","293"],["1696","263"],["1697","219"],["1698","857"],["1699","773"],["1700","1163"],["1701","1255"],["1702","1192"],["1703","852"],["1704","1452"],["1705","1809"],["1706","1831"],["1707","1878"],["1708","1699"],["1709","950"],["1710","1797"],["1711","1486"],["1712","703"],["1713","1335"],["1714","2380"],["1715","1307"],["1716","1874"],["1717","1755"],["1718","1669"],["1719","1073"],["1720","3488"],["1721","2070"],["1722","3453"],["1723","2343"],["1724","2661"],["1725","3725"],["1726","3184"],["1727","3914"],["1728","3089"],["1729","3708"],["1730","3655"],["1731","4267"],["1732","3452"],["1733","1698"],["1734","2814"],["1735","2850"],["1736","2350"],["1737","4342"],["1738","4861"],["1739","4057"],["1740","3774"],["1741","2873"],["1742","4008"],["1743","2779"],["1744","4974"],["1745","3475"],["1746","2171"],["1747","5220"],["1748","5868"],["1749","3960"],["1750","6469"],["1751","7955"],["1752","5681"],["1753","6826"],["1754","7997"],["1755","7091"],["1756","3677"],["1757","4882"],["1758","7103"],["1759","6882"],["1760","4284"],["1761","4900"],["1762","3370"],["1763","6755"],["1764","7296"],["1765","6826"],["1766","10893"],["1767","7387"],["1768","10703"],["1769","6048"],["1770","7903"],["1771","8827"],["1772","8095"],["1773","7040"],["1774","8113"],["1775","13319"],["1776","13204"],["1777","7530"],["1778","8859"],["1779","6383"],["1780","6706"],["1781","7350"],["1782","6240"],["1783","8861"],["1784","11040"],["1785","9469"],["1786","9107"],["1787","14991"],["1788","15780"],["1789","11500"],["1790","14340"],["1791","15417"],["1792","19572"],["1793","16055"],["1794","20082"],["1795","15386"],["1796","17870"],["1797","15188"],["1798","13321"],["1799","14337"],["1800","24690"],["1801","36666"],["1802","31517"],["1803","35150"],["1804","35749"],["1805","36253"],["1806","38105"],["1807","47909"],["1808","40739"],["1809","47927"],["1810","47461"],["1811","58381"],["1812","51989"],["1813","43634"],["1814","53494"],["1815","48194"],["1816","50210"],["1817","55977"],["1818","65085"],["1819","61281"],["1820","64903"],["1821","53902"],["1822","85365"],["1823","83533"],["1824","92906"],["1825","101687"],["1826","73191"],["1827","75516"],["1828","80698"],["1829","93084"],["1830","106917"],["1831","95292"],["1832","95194"],["1833","91552"],["1834","93423"],["1835","114248"],["1836","108125"],["1837","94029"],["1838","105200"],["1839","114245"],["1840","122198"],["1841","112759"],["1842","100929"],["1843","120243"],["1844","119419"],["1845","127318"],["1846","130549"],["1847","123136"],["1848","132725"],["1849","128309"],["1850","143614"],["1851","151967"],["1852","154941"],["1853","164887"],["1854","193486"],["1855","162482"],["1856","168841"],["1857","149841"],["1858","147594"],["1859","158172"],["1860","154706"],["1861","119237"],["1862","100610"],["1863","118340"],["1864","126741"],["1865","128392"],["1866","141221"],["1867","134289"],["1868","137281"],["1869","152695"],["1870","142411"],["1871","143361"],["1872","151365"],["1873","153566"],["1874","164924"],["1875","161477"],["1876","172862"],["1877","163581"],["1878","160185"],["1879","164826"],["1880","197949"],["1881","194350"],["1882","207361"],["1883","230007"],["1884","229530"],["1885","215714"],["1886","183873"],["1887","199920"],["1888","195943"],["1889","191928"],["1890","188691"],["1891","217150"],["1892","246343"],["1893","223287"],["1894","217643"],["1895","244459"],["1896","257827"],["1897","243632"],["1898","267301"],["1899","273569"],["1900","297675"],["1901","312412"],["1902","307581"],["1903","305445"],["1904","328855"],["1905","325751"],["1906","339573"],["1907","337710"],["1908","348750"],["1909","314958"],["1910","332378"],["1911","324369"],["1912","348866"],["1913","325462"],["1914","323700"],["1915","303116"],["1916","286881"],["1917","275329"],["1918","254023"],["1919","274283"],["1920","349513"],["1921","296075"],["1922","346531"],["1923","273146"],["1924","254639"],["1925","259395"],["1926","251526"],["1927","283202"],["1928","272887"],["1929","257272"],["1930","285928"],["1931","272018"],["1932","239153"],["1933","199387"],["1934","240147"],["1935","255485"],["1936","270102"],["1937","272545"],["1938","286673"],["1939","293768"],["1940","270102"],["1941","261923"],["1942","244436"],["1943","199699"],["1944","187908"],["1945","217247"],["1946","280058"],["1947","319657"],["1948","354690"],["1949","385211"],["1950","382501"],["1951","370276"],["1952","375823"],["1953","378832"],["1954","355135"],["1955","394467"],["1956","408549"],["1957","452798"],["1958","461536"],["1959","484095"],["1960","537780"],["1961","587850"],["1962","656338"],["1963","680146"],["1964","683644"],["1965","763593"],["1966","794497"],["1967","834621"],["1968","896932"],["1969","868016"],["1970","888604"],["1971","903728"],["1972","930051"],["1973","900526"],["1974","882956"],["1975","904898"],["1976","918750"],["1977","938173"],["1978","943882"],["1979","976958"],["1980","973241"],["1981","978102"],["1982","1044978"],["1983","1070510"],["1984","1134913"],["1985","1164398"],["1986","1236289"],["1987","1268738"],["1988","1318805"],["1989","1393285"],["1990","1514701"],["1991","1445231"],["1992","1647390"],["1993","1598681"],["1994","1737902"],["1995","1806047"],["1996","1936277"],["1997","2011961"],["1998","2103460"],["1999","2216532"],["2000","2466078"],["2001","2501319"],["2002","2720722"],["2003","2945500"],["2004","3138234"],["2005","3033304"],["2006","3247413"],["2007","3399071"],["2008","4040856"]]
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of Common in Chaldean Numerology is: 3
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of Common in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1
Examples of Common in a Sentence
John Davidson Rockefeller, Sr.:
The secret of success is to do common things uncommonly well.
I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavours to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.
It is a common understanding with the New Zealand trade minister that the TPA is extremely important for the TPP agreement. This is also a shared view among member nations.
In the case of hotels, guests often ask simple questions such as what time is breakfast or dinner, what time checkout is, and they often ask, ‘How can I send baggage home.’ These are common questions the service is often used for.
I was very surprised when they told me 'Father, go to the court because there's going to be a raid,' it's not common that (prosecutors) solicit information from a canonical investigation, but we are entirely willing to cooperate.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
References
Translations for Common
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- مشتركArabic
- уртаҡBashkir
- агу́льныBelarusian
- разпространен, обикновен, общBulgarian
- comú, comunaCatalan, Valencian
- běžný, obvyklý, obyčejný, společnýCzech
- comminsWelsh
- sædvanlig, fælles, fælleskøn, almindelig, vanlig, fælledDanish
- gemeinschaftlich, häufig, gemein, Gemein-, gewöhnlich, nicht ungewöhnlich, gemeinsam, verbreitetGerman
- κοινόςGreek
- comúnSpanish
- شایع, رایج, معمولی, معمول, مشترکPersian
- yhteismaa, yleinen, tavallinen, yhteisomaisuus, yhteinenFinnish
- commune, commun, ordinaireFrench
- coiteannIrish
- àbhaisteach, cumanta, coitcheannScottish Gaelic
- comúnGalician
- שכיח, רגילה, משותפת, נפוצה, משותף, נפוץ, רגיל, שכיחהHebrew
- közönségesHungarian
- սովորական, հասարակArmenian
- communInterlingua
- umumIndonesian
- komuna, ordinaraIdo
- grossolano, grossolana, comune, volgare, ordinario, ordinariaItalian
- 通常, 相互, 共通Japanese
- 상호, 통상Korean
- communisLatin
- sama, biasaMalay
- gemeen, gewone, veelvoorkomend, gemeengoed, gemene, commuun, meent, gewoonDutch
- vanlig, felleskjønnNorwegian
- comunOccitan
- powszechny, pospolity, zwyczajny, zwykły, męsko-żeński, powszedni, wspólnyPolish
- comumPortuguese
- obișnuit, comun, uzualRomanian
- обычный, повседневный, взаимный, обыкновенный, простой, повсеместный, общий род, распространённый, обыденный, общийRussian
- skúpenSlovene
- allmän, gemensam, vanlig, allmänning, utrumSwedish
- సామాన్య, మామూలుTelugu
- загальнийUkrainian
- عامUrdu
- thường, chung, bình thường, thông thườngVietnamese
- 常见Chinese
Get even more translations for Common »
Translation
Find a translation for the Common definition in other languages:
Select another language:
- - Select -
- 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
- 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
- Español (Spanish)
- Esperanto (Esperanto)
- 日本語 (Japanese)
- Português (Portuguese)
- Deutsch (German)
- العربية (Arabic)
- Français (French)
- Русский (Russian)
- ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
- 한국어 (Korean)
- עברית (Hebrew)
- Gaeilge (Irish)
- Українська (Ukrainian)
- اردو (Urdu)
- Magyar (Hungarian)
- मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
- Indonesia (Indonesian)
- Italiano (Italian)
- தமிழ் (Tamil)
- Türkçe (Turkish)
- తెలుగు (Telugu)
- ภาษาไทย (Thai)
- Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
- Čeština (Czech)
- Polski (Polish)
- Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
- Românește (Romanian)
- Nederlands (Dutch)
- Ελληνικά (Greek)
- Latinum (Latin)
- Svenska (Swedish)
- Dansk (Danish)
- Suomi (Finnish)
- فارسی (Persian)
- ייִדיש (Yiddish)
- հայերեն (Armenian)
- Norsk (Norwegian)
- English (English)
Word of the Day
Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?
Citation
Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Common." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 11 Nov. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/Common>.
Discuss these Common definitions with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In