common

Definitions

com- (together) + mūnis (sharing duty) = commūnis, 'shared by all.' What everyone shares the burden of belongs to everyone — hence 'common to all.' From 'shared' it slid to 'ordinary': what everybody has, no one treats as special. Note: this is the mun family (mūnus), not the mon root meaning 'warn.'

Why It Means This

Common starts as Latin commūnis, 'shared by all.' If a thing is shared by everyone, two consequences follow, and English kept both: first the literal 'belonging to all' (common land, common ground, the common good), and second the everyday 'ordinary, frequent' — because what everyone already has stops feeling special. The same word can praise (our common humanity) or faintly belittle (a common little house), depending on which consequence you mean.

Common Collocations

• 1.common sense常识
• 2.common ground共同点
• 3.have in common有共同之处
• 4.common knowledge众所周知的事
• 5.common good公共利益

Example Sentences

• 1.

  Colds are very common in winter.

• 2.

  The two countries share a common border and language.

• 3.

  She has the common sense to ask for help when she needs it.

• 4.

  Children were once free to play on the village common.

Easily Confused

common vs ordinary — common stresses frequency or sharing (a common mistake = one many people make); ordinary stresses lack of distinction (an ordinary day = nothing notable). 'Common' can also faintly criticize someone's manners ('a bit common'); 'ordinary' is neutral.

Synonym Comparison