adjective

common

KOM-uhn

adjective

Happening often, or found in large numbers; not rare.

"Colds are common in winter."

"It's common for new parents to feel exhausted in the first few months."

Shared by two or more people or things.

"They discovered a common interest in old films."

Ordinary or unremarkable, sometimes used to suggest something is unrefined or lacking class.

"He was accused of having common tastes in food and music."

noun

An open area of land, especially in a town, that everyone is free to use.

"Children were flying kites on the village common."

How to Use Common

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishShared by many, or simply ordinary and unremarkable.

Common mistake

Calling a person "common" as a description of manners (rather than frequency) is old-fashioned British slang and can sound snobbish.

Common pairings

common sense common ground common knowledge a common mistake

commoner comparative, commoned past tense, commons plural, Commons plural, commons singular, most common superlative, commonest superlative

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Colds are _____ in winter.

From Old French comun, from Latin communis ("shared, general, public") — ultimately from roots meaning "held together."

average basic bog-standard common as bums common as dirt common as muck common as pig tracks dime a dozen everyday frequent general habitual

abnormal atypical exceptional uncommon exotic endangered extraordinary rare

abnormal standard abundant general irregular good habitual bad

uncommon

average basic bog-standard common as bums common as dirt common as muck common as pig tracks dime a dozen everyday frequent general habitual