Common Definition

common
adjective
  1. 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"
  2. 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"
  3. common to or shared by two or more parties; "a common friend"; "the mutual interests of management and labor"
  4. commonly encountered; "a common (or familiar) complaint"; "the usual greeting"
  5. 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"
  6. 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"
  7. of low or inferior quality or value; "of what coarse metal ye are molded"- Shakespeare; "produced...the common cloths used by the poorer population"
  8. 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"
  9. to be expected; standard; "common decency"
noun
  1. a piece of open land for recreational use in an urban area; "they went for a walk in the park"

"Common" in song lyrics

See how common is used in real songs:

  • "I'm not from Chicago, but me and the rapper got something in Common"
    9th Prince f/ Planet Asia — Revolution Music
  • "Lyrically I vomit you comet to catatonic, puff on it like Hydroponics , No Comment we have In Common"
    Beast 1333 — America
  • "common"
    Belly — People Change

Usage tips for "common"

Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "common" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for common to find words that pair well.

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