commoner

American  

[kom-uh-ner] / ˈkɒm ə nər /

noun

1. a common person, as distinguished from one with rank, status, etc.

2. British.

   1. any person ranking below a peer; a person without a title of nobility.

   2. a member of the House of Commons.

   3. (at Oxford and some other universities) a student who pays the cost to dine at the commons and other expenses and is not supported by any scholarship or foundation.

3. a person who has a joint right in common land.

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commoner British  

/ ˈkɒmənə /

noun

1. a person who does not belong to the nobility

2. a person who has a right in or over common land jointly with another or others

3. a student at a university or other institution who is not on a scholarship

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Etymology

Origin of commoner

First recorded in 1350–1400; common + -er ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

JKF Jr. was the scion of American political royalty, and Bessette was the commoner who won his heart by side-eyeing his fame.

From Salon • Feb. 12, 2026

One compares her to baseball star Shohei Ohtani, another praises her as a "commoner prime minister".

From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026

LONDON—It was supposed to be the moment a shamed prince was reduced to humble commoner.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

Forest ranger Erika Dovey, also a commoner, said visitors should exercise "common sense".

From BBC • May 15, 2024

As we have seen, eponymy in geography is very rare before the naming of America, and America remained an exception in being named after a commoner.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton