# common

/ˈkɑmən/ (US) · /kˈɒmən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/common
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. happening often

adjective · CEFR A1

happening many times or found in many places.

For teachers: occurring frequently or found in large numbers; prevalent within a specific context.

- Colds are very common during the winter months.
- It is a common misconception that all desert environments are hot, as many experience freezing temperatures during the night.

### 2. shared

adjective · CEFR A2

belonging to or shared by two or more people.

For teachers: shared by, coming from, or done by more than one person or group.

- The two countries share a common language and history.
- The project succeeded because all departments worked toward a common goal, setting aside their individual priorities for the collective good.

### 3. ordinary

adjective · CEFR B1

normal or plain; not special or high-ranking.

For teachers: lacking distinction or rank; ordinary or unremarkable in quality.

- The common sparrow can be seen in almost every garden.
- Despite his vast wealth, he preferred the common comforts of a small cottage to the grandeur of a palace.

### 4. impolite

adjective · CEFR B2 · British English

behaving in a way that is not polite or shows a lack of education.

For teachers: denoting a lack of social refinement or perceived lower-class manners; often used pejoratively.

- She thought his loud shouting in the restaurant was very common.
- The headmistress considered such slang to be common and strictly forbade its use within the school grounds.

### 5. legal tradition

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

describing laws that come from old traditions and court decisions rather than new written laws.

For teachers: pertaining to a legal system based on custom and court precedents rather than codified statutes.

- In some places, a common law marriage is recognized after a couple lives together for years.
- The judge's ruling was based on common law principles that had been established over several centuries of judicial history.

### 6. public land

noun · CEFR B1 · British English

an area of grassy land in a town or village that everyone can use.

For teachers: a tract of open land available for public use or historically used for collective grazing.

- People often walk their dogs on the village common.
- The local council debated whether to allow the travelling circus to set up their tents on the town common this summer.

## Examples

- The children are playing football on the village common.
- The town council voted to install new benches across the common to encourage more residents to enjoy the park.
- Historically, the common served as essential grazing land for local livestock, though today it functions primarily as a protected site for recreation and community events.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.