Word
commoner
Phoneticscom·mon·er, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkɑmənɝ/
UK/kˈɒmənɐ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a person who is not a member of the royal family or the nobility. In the past, this word was used to describe anyone who was not a king, queen, or lord.
n. a person who is not a member of the nobility or the royal family. Historically used to distinguish the general population from the aristocracy.
Examples
“The king walked among the commoners in the city square.”
“During the medieval period, a commoner could not enter the royal court without a special invitation from a noble.”
“The historical novel explores the life of a commoner who, through a series of unlikely events, finds himself in the presence of the monarch.”
Examples
simple
“The king walked among the commoners in the city square.”
contextual
“During the medieval period, a commoner could not enter the royal court without a special invitation from a noble.”
complex
“The historical novel explores the life of a commoner who, through a series of unlikely events, finds himself in the presence of the monarch.”
Real-World Examples
“He married Sonja, a commoner, in 1968 and welcomed two others, Mette-Marit and Ari Behn, as the spouses of his children.” “He broke with tradition by marrying a commoner, Queen Sonja, and served as a unifying figure during Norway's most difficult moments.” “Queen Mette-Marit was not the first commoner to marry into the Norwegian royal family - the late King Harald had already broken with tradition by marrying Queen Sonja three decades earlier.” “The late king, who reigned for 35 years, broke with tradition by marrying a commoner and was widely loved by Norwegians.” Etymology
From common + -er (comparative suffix).
From Middle English comoner, comyner, cumuner, equivalent to common + -er.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/commoner