common

common [käm′ən]

adj.

[ME commun < OFr comun < L communis (OL comoinis), shared by all or many < IE * kom-moini-, common (< * kom,COM- + * moini-, achievement < base * mei-, to exchange, barter) > OE gemæne, public, general, Ger gemein: see MEAN²]

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]

3. widely existing; general; prevalent [common knowledge]

4. widely but unfavorably known [a common criminal]

5.

a) met with or occurring frequently; familiar; usual [a common sight]

b) basic; simple; rudimentary [common courtesy]

6. not of the upper classes; of the masses [the common man]

7. having no rank [a common soldier]

8. below ordinary; inferior [common ware]

9. not refined; vulgar; low; coarse

10. Anat. formed of or dividing into branches

11. Gram.

a) designating a noun that refers to any of a group or class, as book, apple, street: opposed to PROPER

b) designating gender that can be either masculine or feminine [the word child is of common gender]

12. Math. belonging equally to two or more quantities [a common denominator]

n.

☆ 1. [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

2. [often C-] Eccles.

a) the office or service suitable for any of a class of festivals

b) the ordinary of the Mass

3. Law the right that a person has, in common with the owner or others, in the land or waters of another: See also COMMONS

SYN.- MUTUAL

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in common

equally with, or shared by, another or all concerned

commonness

n.

SYN.- 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 [a popular song, Vulgar Latin ] -ANT. UNUSUAL, EXCEPTIONAL