ENGLISH
REFERENCE

commonplace

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈkɑmənˌpɫeɪs// UK //kˈɒmənplˌeɪs// com·mon·place Archaic

adj. something that is very common and not special or surprising. You use this when you want to say an idea or object is ordinary.

adj. ordinary, usual, or lacking originality; widely encountered and therefore not remarkable. Often used to describe ideas, opinions, or objects that have lost their novelty through frequent repetition.


SIMPLE

It is a commonplace idea that exercise is good.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager dismissed the suggestion as a commonplace complaint heard every week.

COMPLEX

What was once considered a radical theory has become a commonplace assumption in modern physics.

Synonyms
Origin

A calque of Latin locus commūnis, referring to a generally applicable literary passage, itself a calque of Ancient Greek κοινὸς τόπος (koinòs tópos).

Usage

Can also function as a noun referring to a trite remark or a widely accepted opinion.

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