common
Shared by many
A good mnemonic for the many meanings of common is the related word community.
Things that are common are available to or shared by all: common interests, common water source.
This meaning inspires another frequent sense of common, namely that with is ordinary: The robin is our most common bird.
Carried to an extreme, this idea gives rise to common as coarse or vulgar.
As a noun, common denotes a piece of land for use by everyone.
The plural commons has several specialized senses, all of which relate to the idea of community.
Occurring most often
- normalConforming to standard
- everydayOccurring each day
- ordinaryStandard, unremarkable
- routineRegular sequence of actions
standard · regular · familiar · customary · conventional · habitual · expected · unremarkable
Level of quality accepted
- normAccepted behavioral standard
- baselineStandard for comparison
- criterionStandard for judgment
- yardstickThirty-six-inch ruler
measure · gauge · touchstone · guideline · protocol · convention · template · reference
Commonly occurring, widespread
- frequentHappening many times
- ubiquitousPresent in all places
- pervasivePresent throughout, inescapable
- abundantExisting in great quantity
rife · endemic · omnipresent · universal · general · extensive · broad · far-reaching
Shared between parties
- jointShared by multiple parties
- collectiveJointly organized group
- publicAvailable to all
- cooperativeJointly operated enterprise
collaborative · pooled · combined · unified · reciprocal · interdependent · allied · conjoint
Crude or indecent
- plebeianOrdinary, unrefined person
- coarseRough in texture
- crudeUnpolished, raw state
- baseSupporting bottom structure
ignoble · lowborn · unrefined · peasant · proletarian · working-class · humble · unpretentious
usual
Occurring most often
routine · standard · regular · familiar · customary · conventional · habitual · expected · unremarkable · mundane
standard
Level of quality accepted
yardstick · measure · gauge · touchstone · guideline · protocol · convention · template · reference · specification
prevalent
Commonly occurring, widespread
- frequentHappening many times
- ubiquitousPresent in all places
- pervasivePresent throughout, inescapable
abundant · rife · endemic · omnipresent · universal · general · extensive · broad · far-reaching · mainstream
mutual
Shared between parties
- jointShared by multiple parties
- collectiveJointly organized group
- publicAvailable to all
cooperative · collaborative · pooled · combined · unified · reciprocal · interdependent · allied · conjoint · symbiotic
vulgar
Crude or indecent
base · ignoble · lowborn · unrefined · peasant · proletarian · working-class · humble · unpretentious · simple
- adjectivesbig, urgent, amazing, temporary, bold
- availabilityavailable, unavailable, sold out, in stock, out of stock
- mass marketmass-produced, mainstream, commercial, popular, widespread
- possessionowned, acquired, possessed, kept, retained
- Lexington and ConcordLexington, Concord, minutemen, militia, British redcoats
- wildlife statusendangered, extinct, vulnerable, threatened, rare species
- common senseNative practical judgment
- common coldMild respiratory virus
- in commonJointly possessed or shared
- community chestShared local welfare fund
- common groundPoints of agreement
- common knowledgeWidely shared information
community, communicate, commonly, uncommon, commune, communal, commons, communion, uncommonly